


Halloween Hijinks

by HachimansKitsune



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: F/M, Kink, Magic, Romance, Sex, UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-08-23
Packaged: 2018-02-14 07:51:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 94,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2183775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HachimansKitsune/pseuds/HachimansKitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was all Jareth's fault. That was Sarah's story and she was sticking to it. If he hadn't poofed back into her life, there would have been no items that come in plain brown wrappers, no lingerie mishaps and no goblin hijinx. But he did and there were.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mr. Sandman, Send Me a Dream

**Chapter 1: Mr Sandman, Send Me a Dream**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** _**I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. I care nothing for owning Labyrinth or Sarah, but Jareth –** _ _***ahem* well, let's just say I'd be happy to own him. *wistful sigh*** _

**Warning:** _Rated T for innuendo, some minor language and norti thoughts. Rating may change (depends on how choco-fied my muse is when I write the last chapter)._

_No goblins were harmed in the writing of this story, although several were emotionally scarred when they found out what the item in the brown paper wrapping was really for, they were then promptly bogged by Sarah for nicking it in the first place._

_**Author's Note:**  _Please review. Reviews make me happy and give me inspiration to keep writing! :)

* * *

**Of Dreams, Wishes and Brown Wrapping Paper**

**Ch. 1: Mr. Sandman, Send Me a Dream**

It was all Jareth's fault.

At least, that was Sarah's story and she was sticking to it with dogged determination that would make Sir Didymus look like a kit in arms. In considering the situation, Sarah rationalized her placement of blame with a truly goblin-esque sense of logic – Jareth himself would have been proud of it. At least he would have been, had he been privy to it.

_If Jareth hadn't glitter-poofed back into my life, my fantasies wouldn't have changed, and I wouldn't have ordered the plain brown paper wrapped item that led to the goblin mayhem and misunderstandings, which led to the lingerie incident, followed by more goblin misunderstandings, leading to Halloween party chaos, and yet more goblin mayhem resulting in…._

"Jareth…in my bed," she whispered, looking down at the wild strands of white-blonde hair that peeked above the top of her navy velvet doona.

His fault. Completely his fault. Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt,  _ **his fault**_.

And it all began two weeks before Halloween.

* * *

After her trip to the labyrinth, Sarah's closet, for some reason unbeknownst to her, became a favorite goblin playground. At first it was annoying (and more than a bit disturbing), but after she worked out that they could be bribed with candy and (oddly-enough) dog biscuits, Sarah decided that having goblins hanging around wasn't as bad as it might seem. If nothing else, her trip through the labyrinth had taught her not to take anything for granted. So, although she didn't understand  _why_  they had infested her life, she figured they must serve a purpose and thought it best to wait until that purpose was made clear. In many ways, they were kind of like pets – pets that she didn't have to take for walks or bathe, even though most of them really needed a good scrubbing much of the time.

When she went away to university she thought that her goblins – for that is how she came to think of them – would merely return to the Goblin Kingdom. Not only did they fail to return to the kingdom, they followed her to campus, taking up residence in her dorm room. Even more puzzling than that, her freshman roommate Carrie could not only see them, but she didn't mind them hanging around.

Carrie and Sarah become fast friends, bound by their shared belief that there was much more to the world than what the average person saw. Sarah suspected it was Carrie's belief that allowed her to see the goblins too. The fact that the first time the two of them returned to the room to find several goblins having a merry time bouncing on the beds and digging through their dresser drawers Carrie only laughed and scolded them, cemented the friendship. That night, over a bottle of wine and several bags of York peppermint patties, Sarah told Carrie the whole story of her time in the labyrinth, every little detail, even down to the criminal tightness of the glittery git's trousers.

And Carrie believed it all.

Although the goblins were a fixture in Sarah's life, she had not laid eyes (or anything else for that matter) on the Goblin King himself since she left the labyrinth. She hadn't, that is, until three days ago.

It had been a lazy Sunday afternoon and Sarah had been curled on a sofa at the campus coffee shop, her feet tucked up under her as she read 'The Great Gatsby' while waiting for Carrie. Sipping her pumpkin spice latte, Sarah thought she heard a familiar voice. Looking up, she nearly spit out the foamy mouthful of latte she had just taken – there at the order counter was the unmistakable figure of the Goblin King. Granted, he was dressed quite normally for Aboveground, in what appeared to be black wool trousers, a grey silk shirt and an absolutely stunning, full-length black cashmere coat. But normal clothes not withstanding, it was him. The Goblin King. In the flesh.

_Damn. And what delicious flesh it was! –_ purred her libido, before her inner-self could wrestle it into submission and convict it of harboring treasonous thoughts about the glittery git who stole Toby.

… _Okay, so he didn't steal Toby. But he knew I didn't mean it and put me through 11 hours of hell anyway. The verdict of glittery git and feathered fat-head stands,_  she thought wryly.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice he had turned around until he walked past the sofa she was sitting on. He didn't say a word to her, merely glanced down at the book she was reading, raised a sardonic eyebrow at her and gave his characteristically mocking smirk as he swept from the coffee shop.

And that was the night that her dreams changed. Instead of nameless males in her fantasies, they now had feathery blonde hair and piercing mismatched eyes. She woke up panting and straining toward a set of lips that wasn't there. Needless to say, she was cranky the next morning.

The next day she saw him in the library, a fleeting figure in black denim moving silently through the stacks on the third floor as she was looking up books for her political science paper.

That night her dreams became more vivid. She could swear that they not only had sound and sight, but taste – like peaches.

… _What the hell else would a dream featuring him taste like,_  she grumbled inwardly at the thought.

Each day she saw him someplace new. Sitting in the back of her Intro to Psychology lecture theatre. And even walking outside the picture window in front of the stair climbers at the gym – while she was in the middle of her workout. That little encounter had nearly cost her a sprained ankle as she lost her concentration and fell off the machine.

Each encounter was fleeting and never a word was spoken between them. Yet every night, the dreams got stronger, brighter and more intense. And things just continued to get worse.

* * *

**Wednesday, October 22** **nd** **\- morning**

**… _I'm on the top of your list/ For the best french kiss/ I assist on your one last wish_**

**And since I'm not the type/ To fall in love on sight/ I'm-a let you hold me tight/ For just one night**

**Since I write the rhymes/ To let the whole world sing/ It doesn't mean a thing/ When you call me the king…**

With a frustrated snarl, Sarah launched herself from the bed, chocolate colored tresses fluffed around her face as she flung her body halfway across her room to slam the snooze button on the alarm clock. Relishing the satisfying crunch of her hand meeting the snooze button with far more force than was actually necessary. Sarah muttered darkly, tugging dolefully at her flannel pajama bottoms covered in an all-too-cheerful Tinkerbell print, before falling back onto the bed and once more pulling the covers back around her ears.

Not being a morning person, she was afraid of sleeping through her alarm and missing her classes, so, being resourceful, she decided to set her alarm to a hideously awful rap radio station that she hated and place her clock on the far side of the room. Her logic (such that it was, since the 'logic' itself was debatable) was that the horrible caterwauling would force her out of bed to walk over and turn the alarm off. In practice, there was little 'walking' involved, and more lurching accompanied by loud and somewhat abrupt abuse of the snooze button, abuse that was decidedly more violent than the situation required.

… _Stupid alarm clock. Always ruins the good dreams right before the best part_ , she grumbled, snuggling back into the disheveled covers with a frustrated sigh.

If she had been fully awake and someone had asked, she would have vehemently denied the fact that the dream had been good, since it was about him – the Goblin King. But, in her half-asleep state, she knew the truth of the matter. The dream had been…

…  _freaking awesome_ , she thought, as she tried to recapture the ethereal essence of the dream once more.

Sarah had been agitated for days over this one particular dream. More than merely agitated, she was frustrated. Sexually frustrated. And while she didn't have any proof, she blamed Jareth, convinced that he was sending her the dreams to torture her.

…  _And it is working_ , she moaned inwardly as she gave up on trying to recapture the sensuous dream.

Shutting her eyes, Sarah let her mind fill with the last tendrils of the luscious dream, her hands wandering over her body, sliding down over her flannel clad hips, just dipping below the waistband before…..

… __ **Yo, yo, yo, yo, baby-pop**  
Yeah, you come here, gimme a kiss  
Better make it fast or else I'm gonna get pissed  
Can't you hear the music's pumpin' hard like I wish you would?  
Now push it…Push it good….  


"Arrrghhh!" she growled, launching herself once more into the middle of the room as she slammed her hand down upon the alarm clock several times, knocking bracelets and a book from the scattered mess on top of her dresser. Throwing back her head, she stamped her bare feet against floor. Sarah glared at the ceiling (which if it had been alive, would now be dead thanks to the death glare she gave it) yelling, "Bloody, goblin perverts!"

"Had that dream again?" asked the ridiculously perky voice of her roommate Carrie, who was leaning against the bathroom door wrapped in a screaming purple robe and toweling her hair dry. Removing the towel from her head, Carrie used her fingers to fluff up the short red curls that sprang out willy-nilly in every direction, her crystal blue eyes watching Sarah continue to stamp her feet and curse at the ceiling.

"Judging from the torrent of what, by all accounts is a rather creative exhibition of foul language on your part – and I'd give you a 10 for creativity by the way – I'm taking your response to mean 'Yes, Carrie. I dreamt of the uber-sexy, God-I-Want-His-Bod Goblin King again and the alarm woke me up before he got his hands where I most want to feel them.'" Carrie chuckled, whisking past Sarah to dig through her closet.

With an audible snarl, Sarah flopped back onto her bed, tugging a hand through the tangled mess of hair as she flipped it out of her face. She was now sorry that she hadn't told Carrie she had seen Jareth on campus.

"Yes, you would be right. For the third night in a row. Same dream every time. The only thing than changes is how intense and real it all feels," grumbled Sarah, falling back onto the bed and pulling her pillow over her face as she screamed once more.

Turning to look at her roommate over her shoulder, Carrie just laughed, the sound ringing against the hideously ugly, yet functional (in an institutional sort of way) blue painted concrete walls of their shared room. Returning her attention to the closet, Carrie dug out a deep green sweater dress, black tights and her boots, throwing them into a pile on her bed as she shook her head at Sarah.

"There is nothing for it then, Sarah. You're just going to have to go to bed earlier and  _maybe_  you'll give your dream lover the chance to finish what he keeps starting. Otherwise, just take matters into your own hands and finish things off – when I'm not in the room of course. I love you like a sister, but honey…we ain't  _that_  close!" teased Carrie, as she got dressed.

Groaning, Sarah rolled from the bed, to throw a playful punch at Carrie as she headed toward the bathroom. Despite the teasing, some of what Carrie suggested made sense, although Sarah preferred to envisage various revenge ideas she could use on the feathered fat-head - retaliation methods that prominently featured a jar of hot pink hair dye, poodle-perm solution and a crimping iron.

As she tugged off her pajamas, Sarah called through the door, "I tried that, taking matters into my own hands that is. And it just doesn't do it…."

_... not anymore_ , added her libido with a wistful sigh.

Poking her head around the bathroom door, Carrie waggled her eyebrows at Sarah as she ducked behind the brightly colored shower curtain, "Then I can only assume you aren't doing it right. Shall I bring you home a few instructional manuals from the library. I'm sure they have a moldy copy of 'The Joy of Sex' around there somewhere."

Carrie yelped and ducked behind the door as a soapy sponge sailed toward her head.

"Hey! Don't cop attitude with me! I'm only trying to help," she giggled, peering cautiously back into the bathroom. "Seriously though, if your own hands aren't doing the job, your only other choices are either help of the mechanical kind or finding yourself a live, warm body to snuggle up to. And since you continue to say that you have no interest in summoning up a certain Goblin King to take care of things, I guess that leaves you with the help of 'mechanical Marvin'."

Sarah poked her head around the shower curtain, her emerald eyes shining with laughter, "Mechanical Marvin? You didn't seriously give  _it_  a name did you?"

"Well, you can call yours whatever you want. Mine is lime green and reminds me of Marvin the Martian from Bugs Bunny," Carrie quipped, stopping to fluff up her curls and put on some lipstick. "Hell, call it Steve, Barry, Jerry or Jaret…."

Sarah, who had just turned off the shower, grabbed a towel and quickly flicked it against Carrie's bum, startling her friend who squealed. Carrie giggled, rubbing her now stinging rear.

"Don't  _even_  finish that sentence!" Sarah warned, her lips pursed in a stern frown, while her eyes still laughed. "To even say his name is to invite him, you know that, Carrie!"

Nodding, Carrie slipped a pair of large gold hoops into her ears and winked at Sarah in the mirror.

"Yes, I know. But would it be so bad to invite him if he could help you out with this little problem you've got going on?"

"End of discussion, Carrie! Go to class," muttered Sarah, wrapping her bathrobe securely around her body and pushing her way into the bedroom.

Carrie slung her bookbag over her shoulder and headed for the door, pausing before she left, her blue eyes washing over the pensive look on her best friend's face.

"Seriously, Sarah. I pulled up a website for you to look at. I've ordered from them before. They are discreet and cheap. Just what every single college girl needs. And might I suggest a 'Wiggling Wabbit' as a solid starter model – it will rock your world."

Blushing furiously, Sarah threw a shoe at the door, narrowly missing Carrie as she dodged out the door to head to her science class. With a sigh, Sarah settled into her desk chair, her hand playing absently with the mouse.

…  _just a bit of idle curiosity. Nothing more._  She told herself as she flicked through the website Carrie had left for her.

_Nothing. Nothing. Tra-la-la…._  Finished her libido with an inappropriate shimmy, accompanied by some rather suggestive hand gestures.

Flipping through the site, she paused, blushing furiously at one of the pictures.  _I don't even want to know what that is for,_  she giggled.

Sarah was still flipping through the website when she heard the closet door give a faint creek as a set of russet colored ears, tufted with red fluff, poked around the door, quickly followed by wide blue eyes set into a round wrinkled face.

"Hi, Patty. The candies are in the jar by my bed. Help yourself," Sarah said, smiling quietly at the timid little goblin who gave a little wave as she crept into the room.

Of all the goblins that had visited Sarah over the years, she had a soft spot for Patty, as did Carrie. For reasons they didn't know and Patty couldn't say, Patty was mute. She understood everything they said to her, but never spoke a word. She never made a sound, was respectful of Sarah's things and never made a mess. In short, she was the perfect goblin roommate.

They first met Patty in November of their freshman year of university. Carrie had bought Sarah a bag of her favorite peppermint patties to help with exam stress relief. Arriving back from class one night they found Sarah's bed covered in empty wrappers, and a little female goblin wearing a strange yellow tunic passed out in a chocolate coma on Sarah's pillow.

Since she couldn't tell them her name, they just started calling her Patty and the little goblin seemed happy with that. Carrie in particular had taken a shine to the little goblin, even going so far as to fashion dresses for Patty, having decided that she was sweet and needed looking after. Sarah on the other hand, wasn't sure if they were looking after Patty or if she was looking after Sarah – either way, Sarah was always glad when Patty was in residence.

A soft knock interrupted Sarah's web browsing and Patty's snack. Looking up, she saw Patty dive under the bed, before calling out, "Come in."

The door opened and two petite blonde freshmen entered, looking frightened and unsure of themselves, as they stood fidgeting in the doorway.

_Oh frack_ , she muttered inwardly.  _It is the Stepford pledges again…Courtney and Brittany._

"Speak," Sarah barked at them, putting on a fierce face and scowling darkly.

"Yes, Pledge Mistress," they said in unison.

When Sarah started university, she planned to do only what was necessary, but Karen, aided and abetted by her father, had other ideas. Without her knowing about it, they had signed her up for sorority rush and guilted her into going through with it. The only reason she went was because Carrie was signed up as well, and the two of them planned to go along, make fun of the 'sorority susies' and generally mock the system. They laughed about going to all of the houses, meeting all of the puffed up princesses and trying to think of ridiculous things to say during all of the rush parties. Suffice it to say – the reality of the sorority rush experience was nothing like that portrayed in movies.

After attending the last rush party, both girls thought it was over. Sarah happily called Karen to tell her that she did not receive any bids from any of the sororities, hoping that the whole issue would die a quiet death.

It didn't.

At the last moment she got a bid from Alpha Chi Omega, one of the oldest sororities on campus. As it turned out, both Karen and Sarah's Aunt Francine were members, so she became a legacy member.

In the end, it was Carrie also getting a bid from Alpha Chi that made Sarah accept the offer. Having Carrie as her sorority sister made up for some of the oddities that came with sorority life – frat pranks, hazing rituals and secrecy over the silliest things –  _Honestly. Who cares what color candles we use during initiation?_  C

arrie and Sarah spent quite a bit of time laughing about the greek system, despite being heavily involved in it. In fact, they considered themselves to be the primary joke of the Alpha Chi house. Their house was known across the university as 'Barbie House', since 98% of the sisters were tall, thin blondes, with strings of pearls, fancy cars, perfect teeth and athlete boyfriends. Carrie and Sarah being the only non-blondes in the house made up what they called the 'hair-color minority party'. They only added to their 'weird' factor by having the highest GPAs in the house, refusing to date frat boys, driving beat up used cars and generally flaunting their distaste for current 'fashion'.

Despite everything, they managed to have fun with the Greek experience. That was, until their sisters had thrown them under the proverbial bus and voted them joint Pledge Mistresses, making them responsible for the 13 new pledges. Voting them as the Pledge Mistresses was really a sneaky, last-ditch attempt to force Sarah and Carrie into going to all of the parties, mixers and other social functions that they usually ditched the first opportunity they got. It was sneaky, underhanded and…

…  _decidedly goblin-ish,_  Sarah thought.

The first blonde looked at Sarah, her pale eyes vapid and bland in the light spilling out from the hall. She tugged at the hem of her pledge t-shirt, a bright red shirt with "AXΩ" plastered on the front in an obnoxious screaming yellow fabric printed with bright green daisies. Given the concern with fashion amongst the new pledge class, Sarah and Carrie had taken great pleasure in creating the ugliest pledge t-shirts possible, knowing the hapless pledges would proudly wear them around campus. It was a deliciously cruel joke.

"Um, Sister Carrie said we were to come up here and remind you that it is your turn to supervise study hall in the library tonight," said Courtney.

Sarah sighed, a frown tugging at her lips. Actually, it was Carrie's turn, but she had scored a date with a senior from the computer science department, and Sarah wasn't about to let her friend skip a date to babysit the pledges. So, Sarah resigned herself to spending three hours in the library watching the pledges study; the only saving grace being the fact that the frat boys that normally flocked to the pledges like pixies to flowers would be at their own study tables and wouldn't be harassing either Sarah or her pledges. Sarah plastered her best cruel smirk on her face before replying.

"Fine, make sure the pledge class is assembled in the foyer at 6:30 sharp – everyone wearing their pledge shirts. Anyone late or not wearing their shirt will spend the morning after our Halloween party cleaning every bathroom in the house. Understood?"

In a building that housed over 60 girls, that meant roughly 20 private bathrooms and another 3 public bathrooms in the lower levels. The day after a house party was never the time to pull punishment detail, so Sarah knew the threat would be taken seriously.

"Yes, Pledge Mistress," they chorused, before leaving, looking for all the world like little Barbie-doll clones come to life.

… _Sorority Barbie lives,_  sighed Sarah, slamming her head down on her desk, then groaning in pain. "Owww!"

_Your eyes can be so cruel…._

Snapping her head up, Sarah looked around.  _What the hell?_ Seeing Patty sneaking out from under the bed, she motioned the little goblin over. She thought she heard laughter on the air.

"Did you hear that Patty?" Sarah asked, feeling her heart thundering in her chest.

Patty shook her head and shrugged.

_Great. Just great_ , she thought.  _Like it wasn't bad enough that you started seeing the Goblin King everywhere, now you are hearing him too!_  Sniped her inner-self.  _You need a man…or Goblin King…bad!_

* * *

**Author's Note:**  The first song in this chapter is: "Melt In Your Mouth" by Candyman. The second song is "Push It" by Salt'N'Pepa.

Also, before any sorority gals get their panties in a bunch over the sorority bits in this story, let me point out that I am an Alpha Chi girl (yup… I was the token geek and redhead in a house full of Barbie clones), so I am only describing my own experience. No offense is meant. I just view the whole Greek system with a rather large sense of humor. :)

 


	2. Dream or Nightmare

**Chapter 2: Dream or Nightmare**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** _**I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. I care nothing for owning Labyrinth or Sarah, but Jareth –** _ _***ahem* well, let's just say I'd be happy to own him. *wistful sigh*** _

**Warning:** _Rated T for innuendo, some minor language and norti thoughts. Rating may change (depends on how choco-fied my muse is when I write the last chapter)._

_No goblins were harmed in the writing of this story, although several were emotionally scarred when they found out what the item in the brown paper wrapping was really for, they were then promptly bogged by Sarah for nicking it in the first place._

_**Author's Note:**  _Please review. Reviews make me happy and give me inspiration to keep writing! :)

* * *

**Of Dreams, Wishes and Brown Wrapping Paper**

**Ch. 2: Dream or Nightmare**

_Wednesday, October 22_ _nd_ _– evening_

He watched her silently as she followed the gaggle of girls out of the large brick house.  _Really, a group of college girls should probably be called a 'giggle',_  he thought with a sense of wicked amusement.  _Particularly considering that is about all they ever seem to do._

Hanging in the air slightly behind the group, he coasted upon the rising updrafts as he continued to watch her. The way she trudged behind the group, spoke volumes. Clearly, she did not want to be going with them, where-ever it was they were headed. He could not understand why she was going along with it if she didn't want to, that was certainly not the head-strong girl he knew.

 _Because she is a woman now_ , replied his inner-voice with a knowing nod.

… _. Believe me, I am well aware of her womanly attributes,_  he thought to himself as he gazed appreciatively upon the brunette beauty. Yes, she had indeed become a stunning woman, curving with feminine softness in all of the appropriate places, places he longed to caress and kiss and…. He let the thought die a withering death, as it was merely an exercise is self-torture to continue. With a low sigh of frustration he continued to follow them.

…  _I just have to be content to haunt her dreams,_  he thought.

 _For the moment at least,_  agreed his inner-self sagely.

To hold her in his arms and finally feel her melting against him, it was a dream too long in the making. Yet, he had to wait a few days more. The time was not yet right. No, he had to satisfy himself with making her squirm, knowing the effect that her fleeting encounters with him, combined with the dreams, were having upon her.

Floating in a lazy arc, he watched as the group entered the library, a brunette mother duckling herding an unruly 'giggle' of blonde ducklings through the large glass doors.

 _Careful 'Mother Duck',_  he chuckled, swooping down low into a small stand of pines near the building, his feathered body giving an expansive shudder as his form elongated and shimmered into being.  _You can protect the ducklings, but then who will protect you?_

As he peered into the windows, he saw her lead the group to the tables. Sarah's green eyes shimmered brightly, her lips twisting into a smirk as she watched her charges stand behind their chairs. With a slight nod of her head they spoke as one, beginning a small chant and arm movements, making those around them pause their studies to watch the silly song and dance. When they had finished, Sarah nodded once more, giving them leave to sit.

Jareth chuckled, his mismatched eyes glinting sharply in the dim light reflected from the nearby lamppost. He had watched Sarah often enough to know that she was the only one who made her charges do silly and humiliating things. She really could be cruel.

She was more like him than she would ever admit, but that was part of what drew him to her. She was his match. He knew it. And it would only be a matter of time before he'd make sure she knew it too.

* * *

After torturing her pledges by having them sing 'I'm a little tea-pot', complete with all of the hand motions, Sarah settled down at a nearby table with the Pledge Masters and Mistresses from the other Greek houses on campus. Pulling out a thick stack of index cards, she began to review names, dates and information for her upcoming psychology exam. That was when she felt it. Something she had not felt since she had arrived back in her room after her labyrinth adventure – the feel of magic, both tantalizing and terrifying at the same time, like a slight swirling sensation in the back of her mind.

 _Whoa…that is downright freaky,_  she thought in wonder.

Glancing up she saw him, gliding through the glass entryway of the library, looking for all the world like it was perfectly natural for him to be there. Clearly the magical sensation came from him, but she couldn't understand why she felt it now and didn't feel it the first few times she saw him.

Sarah held her breath as she watched him, expecting him to keep walking toward the bank of elevators that lead to the upper levels. She bit back a gasp as he turned and walked…

…  _Right toward me. Holy shit. The Goblin King is coming this way. And he is looking right at me! Mayday! Danger! Danger!_

Sarah slouched in her chair, her head falling forward as if she were engrossed in the flashcards in her hand. Moments passed that felt like hours, before she realized he had not spoken to her and had not even approached the table. Peering from beneath the protective veil of brown hair that had fallen over her face, she saw that he had settled into the leather armchairs nearby, apparently reading a newspaper.

With her head still bowed enough to hide her face from view, Sarah finally examined him, as he flipped through the paper.

…  _Okay, maybe he isn't the Goblin King_ ,she thought as she studied him.  _After all, his hair is much different, it is short and a bit darker and he isn't wearing the flouncy stuff the Goblin King favors. But, then again, he does have those eyes…._

 _You mean eyes that seem to look directly into your soul and see the barest desires of your heart? Making your knees weak and your lips imagine the feel of his? Those eyes?_  Chirped her libido being imminently unhelpful.

…  _Yes, those eyes._  Sarah thought in disgust at the traitorous words of her libido.

 _They may seem traitorous, but I notice you haven't said they weren't true_ , retorted her libido with a victorious smirk.

…  _Hmmm….he is wearing gloves._

 _Soft, luscious leather gloves from the looks of it_ , purred her libido, already imagining the feel of those leather clad fingers gliding along her throat, before her inner-self interjected in a sensible fashion,  _But it is late fall and cold out. Wearing gloves means nothing. His hands could just be cold._

…  _Damn it all! This isn't helping. I still don't know if it is him or not. And even if it is, what does he want?_ She moaned inwardly as she continued to stare at the man who may, or may not be, her childhood villain, the one she considered her arch nemesis, the one….

 _You dream about having do all kinds of wonderful things to your more than willing body_ , replied her libido with a smug grin.

Is he or isn't he. That was the question that burned inside her brain, eating away at her like waves against the shore.

 _You could just ask him_ , suggested her inner-voice being reasonable and logical as usual,  _but you'd have to ask the right question I suppose_.

Now  _there_  was the goblin-esque logic she had begun to expect from herself.

…  _Oh yes. Now there is a great conversation starter. 'Hi. You look like my childhood villain. Tell me, are you the Goblin King?' And that is assuming that if he is the Goblin King he'd tell the truth anyway, and everyone knows you can't trust the Fae._

* * *

It was all Jareth could do to keep from laughing.

Sarah thought she was hiding the fact that she was staring at him, but her hair didn't hide her nearly as well as she hoped. He studiously pretended to read the newspaper, when in reality, he was studying her as she studied him. Watching her face carefully as she peeked at him, he could see her inner struggle as plainly as if it were happening audibly – she was trying to decide if he was who she thought he was.

…  _Silly Sarah. If you'd only listen to your heart, you'd know the answer already._

The hours passed. He watched her, watching him, the index cards lying forgotten and untouched in her hands. As time passed, other groups stood, gathering their belongings and left the study area, until only Sarah and her charges remained, her charges getting visibly restless and anxious to leave.

Jareth watched silently. A bemused smile teasing his thin lips as he waited to see what she would do.

Finally, she stood, stretching her legs from sitting in one position for so long.

"Grab your things and head back to the house. Sister Carrie will be supervising Study Hall tomorrow night. I'll be working on a research paper and don't want to be disturbed unless it is an emergency," she said, her green gaze washing over the tired pledges.

"Yes Pledge Mistress," the group sang out, before dissolving into a mass of giggling and gossiping little ducklings once more.

Taking a deep breath, Sarah made up her mind. She picked up her leather satchel, slinging it over her shoulder as she made her way toward the lounge area by the newspaper racks. She wasn't going to approach him, just put herself in his direct path and see what he did.

Sarah hoped she didn't look as nervous as she felt, when she dropped her bag next to the leather armchair opposite his. The old leather chair gave a groan and cranky squeak as she flopped into it, slouching down so that her legs were dangling over one arm of the chair, while her head was propped up on the other. Studiously ignoring him, she began to flip through her stack of flashcards, trying desperately to will herself to actually study.

Putting down the paper, Jareth watched her, a smile tugging at his lips as she ignored him. She really was lovely, especially since she was working so hard to seem steely and cold, when in fact he knew her to be soft, warm and delectable.

"Isn't it rude not to greet an old acquaintance when one meets them?" he drawled, his voice a quiet purr in the sterile silence of the library. "I was wondering how long it would take before came to confront me, Sarah."

Pale hands gripped the stack of index cards tightly, as she slowly raised her gaze to meet his. Sarah forced her eyes upward, refusing to look away as his mismatched eyes caught hers, the laughter in his eyes nearly making her grab her bag and run for the hills.

Swallowing deeply, she managed to whisper, her voice sounding thick and muddy to her ears, "So it is you."

"Did you really think me to be someone else?" he chuckled, smiling broadly now. She couldn't help but watch as he spread his hands upon his knees.

…  _Why do his hands fascinate me so?_ She wondered in dismay.

 _Because you have dreamt what they could do if you'd let them,_  muttered her libido, as it shivered in hormonal glee at the sound of his voice, a voice which was as magical and seductive as she remembered –  _Even more so_ , insisted her libido.

Finding her backbone, Sarah glared at him, her emerald eyes flickering defiantly, "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting  _you_ ," she challenged. "Not here and most certainly not now."

Jareth flashed an impish grin at her, leaning forward in his chair, his gaze seeming to penetrate her very core. "Does my presence bother you that much, Precious?"

Sarah opened her mouth to speak, but finding no retort she snapped it shut again. Although she couldn't find the words she wanted, she knew one thing – she really wanted to slap that supercilious smirk off his face. The sense that he was laughing at her setting a slow burning fire of frustration inside her, one which licked at her insides.

Shrugging, she returned her attention to the index cards in her hand.

… _Mustn't let him know that he has an effect on me,_  she repeated inwardly like a mantra.

"It is a free country. You can go where you like," Sarah paused, then considering who she was talking to and the reputation the Fae had for finding verbal loopholes, amending her statement, "Within reason I guess."

"Within reason, Precious? Do explain," he enquired smoothly, his voice lilting with unvoiced laughter. Jareth's eyes sparkled merrily as he looked at her, relishing the discomfort she fought so hard to ignore.

"Well, you can go anywhere you like in public and wherever you are invited in private. So, I suppose you have every right to be here now if you so choose, Goblin King, since the library is a public space," came the sharp retort.

…  _How can he say so little and make me so mad at him_ , she wondered, trying to still the shake that her hands had suddenly developed as he rose from his chair and moved toward her.

"And would you care to invite me somewhere…  _private_ … sweet Sarah?" he asked, leaning against the arm of the chair where her feet now dangled, his head inclined looking down at her form as she slouched even deeper into the chair.

… _How can he take a simple question and make it sound so…_

 _Wonderful,_ suggested her libido. _Seductive?_

…  _Perverted._

Not liking the feeling of him looking down on her, Sarah straightened up in the chair, before rising and perching on the arm of the chair, opposite where he was now leaning. Back at face-level with him, she felt stronger and more able to beat him at whatever game he was now playing.

 _But what if he isn't playing a game_? asked her libido.

 _Do shut up!_  Ordered her inner-self, feeling decidedly cranky and off balance by the whole exchange.

"While verbally sparring is always entertaining, Goblin King, why don't you tell me why you are really here? Because if it is to try to trick me into inviting you back into my life, you can just forget it," she snapped, somewhat surprised by her own boldness and at the same time dismayed by the twinge her heart gave as she shot him down….again.

Feigning pain, he placed an elegantly gloved hand against his chest.

"You wound me, Precious. That you would think I would be here merely to trick you, when by your own lips, I have no power over you," he murmured in a bemused tone, his voice dropping low. "Besides, there are much more pleasant ways to spend our time than sparring verbally, Sarah."

Sarah's train of thought missed the station at the mention of her lips, which led to thoughts of his lips, and the melding of the two. It was then derailed completely by images of what might be more pleasant ways to spend time with him than sparring verbally.

…  _gah!_

 _Yes, please_ , cooed her libido, before her inner-self could tackle it, attempting to lock it away once more.

…  _I never had to put up with these sorts of thoughts before…._

 _The dreams of the Goblin King started_ … crowed her libido triumphantly as it escaped the clutches of her inner-voice of reason, and streaked stark naked through her mind, making Sarah blush hotly.

"Well, if you aren't here to trick me, why are you here, Goblin King?" she asked, looking pointedly at him as he smoothed the leather gloves over his hands. She watched mesmerized as the leather clad fingers ran over each other.

… _.gah!_  she thought again, fighting the rising heat that settled into the pit of her stomach.

A rumbling chuckle broke her reverie, the sound like a velvet caress, deep and luxurious.

"It is near Samhain, my dear. Surely you are aware that the veil between the worlds is thin at this time of year," he explained patiently, his voice still edged with amusement. "For those of us with, shall we say, expanded life expectancies, this season provides a time to reconnect with others. I merely thought it might be nice to reacquaint myself with  _you_."

… _. Now that you are such a lovely woman rather than a mere slip of a girl._

"Acquaintances, huh?" she muttered, shaking her head slightly as she processed this tidbit of information. "Don't you mean adversaries, Goblin King?"

"No, no, no. Of course not," he chuckled again, the sound sending goosebumps racing wildly up her spine to dig themselves into the base of her skull, making her tremble. Frowning, she glared at him again, hoping he hadn't noticed the tremble.

Jareth didn't miss her reaction, and chuckled again before continuing, "We were never really adversaries, Precious. I was merely doing my job and you were doing what you felt you must. I had hoped we could put those events behind us and begin anew."

"Yeah, 'cause that is what I told myself when I woke up today – 'Let's forget what hell the Goblin King put me through and just make up and be friends'," Sarah snarked with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Knowing full well that her waking thoughts were of him and much kinder than those she voiced, Jareth smiled, a hungry shark look flashing over his face as his thin lips framed sharp teeth. "Did you just, Precious? I am so  _pleased_  to hear that you agree with me on the matter. And the name, sweet Sarah, is Jareth. I should rather like you to use it in future."

"Get used to disappointment then, Goblin King," she replied, a bit more sharply than she had intended.

…  _Here he is extending an olive branch, and all I seem capable of is insulting him. What the hell is up with that?_ She wondered, a frown briefly creasing her forehead.

Jareth leaned back, watching as she fought with herself. He knew very well that she was at war within herself over whether to believe him.

…  _Still so stubborn, sweet Sarah_.

Deep down he knew that she would eventually take the chance. While not predictable by any means, Sarah would never turn down a dare, and that is exactly what he was going to give her.

"Hmm…still so cruel, Sarah. You have no real reason to be cruel to me, Precious. After all, I only ever did what you asked of me."

Before she could think of a snarky reply, Sarah saw Carrie race past the picture window near them, and groaned.  _This can't be good._ Carrie threw herself through the open glass doors, running up to them to collapse panting and breathless in the chair Jareth had recently vacated.

"So…glad…found…you!" Carrie gasped, clutching her sides. Catching her breath, she glared at Sarah. "You do know that you have the whole freaking house in an uproar? You're supposed to escort the pledges  _to_ and _from_  study hall. For some reason, none of them knew where you were. Jackie is on the verge of calling campus police to send out a search party!"

Pausing to take in the sight of the tall blonde man sitting on the other arm of the chair across from her best friend, Carrie grinned. "Of course, if he is the one who distracted you, more power to you."

Standing, Jareth held out a hand to Carrie, "Call me Greg. And yes, she already overpowered me, not that I am complaining, mind you."

Sarah flushed crimson.

Carrie fixed the cool blonde guy with a quiet look. Raising an eyebrow she studied him, then looked at Sarah, taking in the sheepish look on her best friend's face.

"Hmm…it seems as though I am interrupting something, so I'll just head to the coffee shop and wait for you then, huh Sarah?" grinned Carrie, flinging herself to her feet once more.

"That is quite alright, I was just leaving," smiled Jareth, his mismatched eyes sparkling mischievously. "We already made arrangements to meet for coffee tomorrow at 2pm, I believe you are free then, Sarah?"

Sarah nibbled her lip in confusion, her green eyes narrowing, "We did? I am?"

"Yes," came the quiet reply, served with an impish smirk that dared her to deny the date, "We did and you are."

Carrie returned the grin and nodded, there was something compelling about this new guy and Sarah definitely needed someone to help her work out the frustration instilled in her by the Goblin King dreams, it might as well be Greg.

"Well, if for some reason Sarah here stands you up, you should really drop by…."

A flash of movement behind the tall blonde caught Carrie's eye. She glanced at Sarah who was frantically waving her hand across her throat while her other hand was making a 'shhh' motion.

"…. the house," Carrie finished, her voice rising to a squeak at Sarah's pantomime.

Seeing Greg's face light up as she finished, Carrie felt ice water pump through her veins with the realization that she had done something wrong. Greg's eyes flashed brilliantly as his lips twisted into a Cheshire cat grin.  _Yup. Something very,_ _ **very**_ _, wrong._

"Thank you so much for the kind  _invitation_ ," he purred silkily. "I will be sure to do just that. In the meantime ladies, I bid you good night."

Turning, he glided from the library. It was then that Sarah noticed the remaining women all raised their heads to watch as he walked by, looking at him like he was a bag of cookies at a Weight Watcher's meeting.

… _What the hell?_ She wondered, seeing the glazed expressions on their faces as they watched him.

Carrie and Sarah looked at each other, then collapsed into the chairs, Sarah sitting with her face in her hands as Carrie peeked over the top of the chair, watching the blonde man walk past the picture window outside the library. She could have sworn he looked straight at her and winked, but surely he couldn't see her through the mirrored glass?

"Um…Sarah….wh…who was that was that guy?"

"The one person you should never,  _ **ever**_  give an open invitation to," replied Sarah, her voice muffled by her hands.

Carries eyes shone brightly as Sarah's meaning struck home, a gasping moan escaping her lips, "Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit! He's hot!"

"Eloquent as always, Carrie," muttered Sarah, wondering if it was too late to join a convent or run away with the circus.

"If you don't want him, pass him to me," Carrie whistled low, her eyes glassy as she stared into space. "Wow. Nice ass."

Seeing the change in Carrie, Sarah grumbled…  _Bloody Fae and their enchantments._

"Snap out of it, Carrie. You're under an enchantment, like every other woman in here from the looks of things. Besides, trust me when I say this, his type of love would come with a price that I'm not sure any sane woman would be willing to pay."

 _Even you?_  Asked her libido.

…  _Maybe._


	3. Flirting with the Devil You Know

**Chapter 3: Flirting with the Devil You Know**

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_**DISCLAIMER:**  I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. I make no money for writing this. The only thing I get from it is what reviews people post, which make me smile and help me find the motivation to keep writing. That said, if someone were to give me Jareth, I would be eternally grateful and take VERY, VERY, VERY good care of him!_

_**Warning:**  Some adult innuendo and shameless double entendres, as well as some abuse of buffalo wings. If buffalo wing abuse bothers you, don't read any further._

_No animals were harmed in the writing of this story, but some goblins are now in therapy (which is pretty darn funny when you think about it). At least one has now developed a fetish for 'adult toys' that is even more alarming than seeing a gender-confused goblin in a grass skirt._

_**Author's Note:**  PLEASE REVIEW! Reviews keep me happy (in lieu of chocolate and I'm dieting, so NOOOO chocolate. If you want me to write faster, then feed me the only chocolate substitute sanctioned and promoted by the Laby fanfic writer's guild - REVIEWS!)_

* * *

_**Thursday, October 24** _ _**th** _

Sarah and Carrie stayed up until the wee hours of the morning debating what should be done about Jareth. The coffee date that Jareth tricked her into was bad enough, and Sarah had every intention to stand him up, that is until Carrie had to open her big mouth. In discussing it, they quickly realized that while Carrie did give him an open invitation, it was contingent upon Sarah standing him up.

… _BURN! Take that Goblin King!_

Their happiness was short-lived however, when they figured out that thanks to Carrie's wording, Sarah was now forced into seeing him again. She h _ad_  to go on the coffee date or else he could show up whenever he wanted at the Alpha Chi house – and judging from the way the women in the library reacted to him, having him show up in a house full of hormonally challenged young women could be disastrous…. For him.

Sarah giggled at the mental image of Jareth being mobbed by a house full of hormonal young women.

"Well, getting jumped by a bunch of the girls might be enough incentive to put him off the creepy stalking thing he is doing now," she laughed, holding her sides. She looked at Carrie, who was wiping tears from her eyes.

In the end, Sarah decided that although it was tempting to skip the date and have the Goblin King run the gauntlet of sex-starved blondes at the sorority house, that might make him angry and at the moment, he didn't seem to be a threat, to her or anyone else.

 _Yeah, keep telling yourself that_ , snarked her libido.  _You just don't want to share him with the Barbie Brigade._

 _... I …. I…. Oh do shut up!_  She muttered, waiting for her inner-voice to realize the libido was loose again and corral it once more.

Sarah's dreams however, clearly agreed with her libido.

All night long she ran around the crystal ballroom, trying to get near him, and being thwarted by groups of blondes that seemed to flock to him. She seethed with anger at the way they hung on him and the way in which he did nothing to chase them away – but then, he did nothing to encourage them either. He merely watched Sarah, a faint smile of amusement on his face as she kept attempting to fight her way through the pressing throng of bodies, trying desperately to get near him. Eventually, with an aching heart from the realization that she couldn't get near him, so she backed away, leaning dejected against a crystal pillar at the edge of the ballroom. That was when he found her. Swooping in, he pulled her bodily into his embrace as he danced her around the room, his piercing eyes focused solely upon hers, ignoring the hostile looks of the women he had spurned in her favor.

Without warning his lips were on hers, soft yet demanding as his hands pressed her tightly to him, molding her to the length of his body. Grey gloved hands ran down her back, around her hips, down…down…

_**Don't tell my heart…my achy breaky heart….I just don't think it'd understand!** _

"Arrrgh!" Sarah yelped as she flew up out of her bed and leapt toward the middle of the room, her eyes still shut tight as she slammed her hand down toward the clock.

Carrie rolled over, bleary blue eyes peeking over the edge of her floral quilt at her roommate who was currently abusing a defenseless alarm clock with quite unnecessary amounts of venom.

"Two words girlfriend. Wiggling Wabbit."

The only answer she got was a pillow to the head.

In the end, Sarah decided that maybe Carrie was on to something. It would be much easier to deal with the  _idea_  of Jareth and the dreams, if she at least got some satisfaction out of them. So, despite her libido's argument for asking Jareth for his help on the matter… _As if! …_ Sarah gave in and placed an order for her own 'wabbit' – if for no other reason than to get Carrie off her back about it.

Despite the fact that she adamantly maintained that she was not in the least bit interested in the Goblin King and therefore didn't care about this coffee date, it took Sarah the better part of two hours to get ready to meet him. Deciding what to wear was made more difficult with the 'help' Carrie kept offering, in the form of super short skirts and skimpy tops. When Carrie thrust another skin-tight dress at her, Sarah finally snapped.

"Is there a reason you are trying to dress me in the haute couture of designer 'Get-it-here'?" she grizzled, throwing the revealing red dress on the reject pile that was now so large it was in danger of falling over and burying poor Patty as she sat next to it on the bed, eating peppermint patties and watching the festivities with great amusement.

Wrenching open the closet Sarah pulled out her most comfortable pair of jeans and the two items she kept carefully tucked away for confidence emergencies and those times when she needed an extra dose of good luck – the linen poet's shirt and brocade vest she had worn when she defeated the labyrinth. If she ever needed a confidence boost and some good luck, it was today.

"Oh honestly," grumbled Carrie, releasing an exasperated breath that blew red curls out of her eyes, "You can't possibly be serious about wearing those! You want him, Sarah. At least dress the part. Sheesh!"

"I do not want him," Sarah argued, blithely ignoring the indignant protest her libido lodged to the contrary. "I am only going to meet him for coffee because not going would give him a reason to show up at the house and I'd rather avoid that."

Flipping through the closet, Carrie's eyes sparkled with impish delight as her fingers grasped the item she was looking for. "How about a compromise?"

* * *

…  _Some compromise. Remind me never to listen to Carrie's fashion advice again_ , Sarah thought morosely as she slowly walked through campus, her comfortable leather boots shuffling through clumps of crisp autumn leaves that were scattered across the footpath.

In the end, she had agreed to Carrie's compromise only to get her to shut up about Jareth. Capitulating, she put on her deep green suede skirt and the poet shirt, with a green satin waist cincher over the top. Although she would have preferred to meet Jareth wearing her 'lucky clothes' she settled for at least wearing her lucky shirt. As she trudged across campus she tried to remind herself that clothing does not make the woman, because if they did her clothing at the moment was sure to be saying "Look at these!" thanks to the waist cincher that Sarah thought was far too tight and seemed to frame her breasts. Considering the looks she got from every guy she passed as she walked to the coffee shop, she was pretty sure she was right.

When she neared the coffee house Sarah paused, her emerald eyes glancing toward the shop as if it were the very gates of Hell themselves. She nibbled her lip thoughtfully, before turning around and staring to walk back toward home, then stopped once more. Peering over her shoulder she looked back at the coffee shop with a heavy sigh.

"Damn you, Goblin King," she muttered and flopped down on a nearby bench.

Glancing at her watch, she saw she had another 10 minutes before she was due at the café. Sarah leant her head against the back of the bench and sighed again.  _Why does he have this effect on me?_ She mused as she shut her eyes, breathing deeply of the crisp fall air.  _I want to see him, but the very idea terrifies me. Arrrgh!_

"And it doesn't help that I look ridiculous," she muttered, tugging at the bottom of the waist cincher as it dug into her hips.

"On the contrary, Sarah, I think you look lovely," Jareth purred, leaning over the back of the bench.

Startled, Sarah threw herself bolt upright, slamming into Jareth's chin, making him grunt heavily as he leapt back. Groaning, Sarah rubbed her sore forehead, as her eyes watered with pain. Tenderly touching his chin, Jareth slunk around the bench to sit beside her.

"I always knew you were hard-headed, Precious. However, I really didn't need you to prove it quite like this," he grumbled with a grin, massaging his chin as he watched her gingerly run her fingers over her forehead.

Biting back a giggle, Sarah looked at him blinking back the burning in her eyes from the sharp ache in her head. She was vaguely surprised by how well the Aboveground wardrobe suited him. Today he was wearing a deep burgundy shirt that looked to be made of fine cotton, lightly caressing his shoulders to flow over his chest, over black jeans that encased his thighs just tight enough to show off their definition, but not so tight as to be painted-on.

 _More's the_ pity, her libido muttered sadly.

…  _Damn him. Why does he have to look so good_ , she moaned inwardly, trying to tear her eyes away from his chest, where she could just glimpse a bit of the fine golden chain that she was sure held the pendant she vividly remembered.

 _Just kiss him already and let's get this party started,_  suggested her libido, breaking free of the chains her inner-voice had tried to subdue it with.

Watching Jareth's fingers running over his chin, Sarah tried hard not to focus in on his wonderfully inviting looking lips. Forcing her eyes away from his lips, she noticed his knowing smirk and blushed realizing that he had caught her out.

"Well, if you insist on sneaking up on me, then you deserve what you get for surprising me," she chuckled, gasping as her fingers touched a very sensitive spot on her face. "Ouch. Has anyone ever told you that you've got a really sharp chin?"

"Sharp and talented tongue, yes," he laughed, the sound a seductive rumble that tickled her senses, making her blush as much from the sound as his blatant innuendo. "Chin, no. And if you think a minor bump to the head will free you from having coffee with me, you are sadly mistaken, Sarah."

Seeing the amused glint in his eyes and his characteristic smirk, Sarah had to laugh. "I wouldn't dare think anything of the sort. "

Rising he held out his arm, an eyebrow raised as he smiled at her, "Shall we go then?"

Sarah stood, looking from the arm he held out to her, to his face and back again.  _I suppose it wouldn't hurt,_ she thought, lightly tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow.

She didn't miss the look of pleasant surprise that flickered across his face, a sly smile teasing her lips as she watched him carefully school his expression back into one of smug aloofness. The very idea that she could surprise the great Goblin King gave her confidence a much-needed boost.

Reaching the coffee shop, he led her to the counter to order. Seeing Sarah reach for her wallet, Jareth placed a leather-clad hand upon hers.

"I believe it is customary for person who did the inviting to pay, Sarah," he drawled, his mismatched eyes flickering with silent intensity as he looked at her, watching her hesitate.

Sarah pursed her lips as she looked at him, before slowly shaking her head. "I can't let you do that, not without knowing what price you would ask in exchange."

When the goblins had begun to show up in her closet after her run through the labyrinth, Sarah had read all she could about goblins, fairies, the Fae and other 'Otherworld' races. In her reading she found numerous warnings about never accepting gifts, since there was always a price attached to them. Although she wasn't sure exactly what Jareth was, as Goblin King, it seemed reasonable to be cautious.

Jareth laughed. "You never cease to surprise me, Precious. However I assure you that I have no ulterior motives. As I told you yesterday, I merely wanted the chance to get reacquainted with you."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Sarah looked at him skeptically. Seeing her distrustful look and the decidedly mule-ish set of her jaw, Jareth chuckled merrily. "I suppose you will keep denying me until I name my price?" At her raised eyebrow, he nodded, "Fine then. The going exchange rate for a cup of coffee is two hours of conversation. I'll even throw in one of those pumpkin scones you are so fond of – at no extra cost. Do we have a deal?"

Grinning, Sarah nodded, her emerald eyes sparkling cheekily at him. "Deal. I have a hard time passing up a scone."

For the next two hours they sat in a corner of the café, sipping coffee, eating scones and talking about the most mundane of things – much to Sarah's surprise. She hadn't known what to expect when she showed up, but sitting around with the Goblin King discussing her classes, sorority life, goblin antics, and the recent expansion of the Bog of Eternal Stench, was definitely not it.

And so they sat, exchanging stories as the afternoon wore on. Sarah actually found that she was enjoying herself in a way that she hadn't in quite some time. She was only dimly aware of questioning looks from her friends and sorority sisters as they breezed in and out of the shop. While listening to Jareth's tale about the recent chicken infestation of his study, she found herself distracted by the scone crumbs that were scattered on his chest. Without thinking, she reached out, brushing them away with a light touch.

Looking down, Jareth placed his hand over hers as it tenderly brushed at his chest. Sarah's flushed hotly. Tugging her hand from under his, she dropped it into her lap.

"I…I'm sorry," she stammered, shrinking into her chair with embarrassment at his amused smirk. "I'm so used to doing that for Toby and my father, I didn't even think….and…I…I'm…um…rambling."

"No apologies needed, Precious. Thank you," came the bemused reply. Looking at his watch, Jareth noted the time, a look of regret flitting across his elegant face. "You have more than met your obligation Sarah, it has been three hours, of most pleasant conversation. Didn't you have a paper you needed to finish?"

"Oh," she sighed, trying to figure out why her heart fell at that news. "Has it been three hours already?"

…  _I didn't want to come anyway, so why do I feel almost sad that it is over._

Jareth watched her face fall at the realization that her agreed upon time limit was up, the look of disappointment on her face making him chuckle inwardly, as he worked to keep his expression neutral. It was her next words that shocked him.

"Actually, the paper is already finished. I just told the pledges that so I could get an evening to myself," she smiled slyly before nibbling her bottom lip, her eyes flitting toward his face, then dropping to her lap. "Um… look, I was going to go to dinner. Would you…ah… that is… oh hell…. Do you want to come to dinner with me?" she blurted, getting frustrated with herself and the way he seemed to make her feel flustered over the silliest things.

… _I'm acting like a silly school-girl with a crush,_ she lamented inwardly.

Raising an eyebrow, he looked at her with a questioning smile.

"I mean…it isn't anything fancy. I was just going to go to a local pub for dinner and though you might like to come along," she continued, feeling both sheepish and nervous that he'd turn her down.

… _Arrrgh! I don't care what the Goblin King thinks or does. I'm only asking to be friendly since he seems to want to be friends,_  she wailed to herself.

 _Sure. Keep telling yourself that. Maybe eventually someone will be believe you, but as for me, I know the truth. You've got the hots for him._  Chirped her libido, making goo-goo eyes at Jareth.  _And who could blame you. He's gorgeous. I wonder how delish he would look waking up next to you?_

Jareth watched her, his expression morphing to amusement as Sarah blushed furiously, her eyes darting to meet his, then flashing away with an embarrassed grin.

…  _Damn. One of the times I really wish I could read minds instead of just dreams,_  he thought, chuckling.

With a mischievous smirk Jareth smiled at Sarah and nodded, "I would be delighted to join you for dinner, however, as you asked of me, I must now ask of you - What would be your price?"

Sarah looked shocked, her mouth falling open as she shook her head, "I...um…No..No strings attached, Jareth. Just dinner with a friend."

…  _Oh frack!_  …she thought in horrified wonder.  _I just called the Goblin King_ _ **by his name**_ _and called him a_ _ **friend**_ _._

 _Hell must now be a skating rink,_  quipped her inner-voice, viewing the whole scene with a vague sense of confusion, and trying desperately to figure out just when and why  _he_  had been promoted to the rank of 'friend'.

Her use of his name was not lost on Jareth either, and neither was the way she included him in the category of 'friend'. He wondered at the feeling of heat that seemed to burst into being in his chest at that one simple word, a vastly different heat than what he felt when she had called Hogwart her friend all those years ago.

"In that case, I would be happy to accept," came the quiet reply, his voice a seductive purr that made her shiver in spite of herself.

… _I don't know how he does it…._  she thought.

 _But I hope he never stops,_  moaned her libido, melting into a puddle of hormonal goo at his tone of voice.

And that was how, in a relatively short amount of time, Sarah and the Goblin King were tucked into a corner booth of a local pub, drinking beer and eating buffalo wings, despite a minor misunderstanding in which Jareth actually appeared concerned by the fact that buffalo did not have wings. Trying desperately not to laugh and insult his royally over-inflated ego ( _Face it…you were just worried that he'd bog you,_ insisted her inner-voice) Sarah managed to make him understand that buffalo wings were actually chicken coated in a spicy sauce. The misunderstanding was amusing, but not near as amusing as the look of sheer horror on his face when he realized that eating buffalo wings was most assuredly  _not_  a civilized undertaking.

"You  _must_  be kidding, Sarah?" he muttered, looking down his nose at the basket of wings sitting between them on the table.

"Oh, now really," she laughed, giving a mock sigh of exasperation, "You act like you've never eaten anything with your fingers before. And I know that couldn't be true since you gave me a peach during my run and they can be horrifically messy to eat…even when they aren't hallucinogenic," she teased, nimbly plucking a buffalo wing from the basket.

Jareth chuckled, giving her a sardonic sneer as he replied, his voice a low caress against her senses, "Trust you to bring  _that_ up, Precious."

"How could I forget?" she asked, before biting into the wing in her fingers. He watched intently as she seemed to be completely unaware of the sauce that was dripping down her fingers and clinging to her lips.

Swallowing, she fixed him with a piercing look, her green eyes snapping impishly in the dim light of the bar, "It was my first ball and my first, and thankfully last, spiked peach. The dancing and singing wasn't bad, but the rest was…well...unfortunate."

With a shrug, Jareth smirked mysteriously at her, "I was merely doing my job, Sarah. Doing what  _you_  asked of me, in fact."

"True. I get that now," she nodded, gesturing with the half-eaten wing her fingers.

She paused as she watched him looking at the basket of wings, then it hit her. Frowning she gasped, "Oh damn! You can't eat wings with gloves on. I'm so sorry, Jareth. I didn't think that! We'll flag down the waitress and order something else."

Seeing the upset look on her face at thinking she had insulted him, Jareth smiled. "Hush, Precious. What you ordered is fine," he replied with a wink, as he tugged the gloves from his hands.

Sarah watched, dumbstruck as his fingers were suddenly naked.

 _Hmmm…Naked Jareth, now_ _ **there**_ _is a mental image worth spending time on,_  drooled her libido with a lusty purr, making Sarah blush crimson as she took a long drink of the frosty beer.

She watched him tuck the gloves into the pocket of his coat, fascinated by the pale skin of his slender fingers and their graceful movements. Catching herself, she bit back the deep sigh of want that threatened to escape her parted lips, squelching the offending noise with a sharp click of her teeth. Seeing her reaction, Jareth winked at her once more, his mismatched eyes flashing mischievously at her as he carefully picked up a wing. Bringing the wing to his lips, he caught her gaze and bit into it with deliberate slowness, pleased at the way her eyes never strayed from his mouth.

With extreme force of will, Sarah managed to tear her eyes away from Jareth's lips and teeth, despite the lewd cat-calls her libido was issuing ( _All the better to nibble, bite and EAT you with my dear!)._ Between bites, Sarah asked the question she had wondered about since she had returned from the labyrinth, "So, why _do_  you wear gloves, Jareth."

…  _That is three times she has said my name,_  he thought, feeling a strange tightness in his chest each time his name fell from her lips.

 _Not like you are counting or anything,_  snarked his inner-self, trying not to be horrifically affronted by idea of eating buffalo wings, even if they weren't made of real buffalo.

"They help contain my magic so that it doesn't unintentionally contaminate others," he replied, his eyes transfixed by the sight of Sarah's tongue flicking delicately over her lips, licking up traces of the sauce. Clearing his throat, he forced himself to continue, despite the flush of heat that washed over him. "For non-magic users, the feel of unadulterated magic is often too intense, and considering how often I deal with humans and other races who don't possess or manipulate magic, it is best for all involved if my own magic is moderated when around them."

It was all Sarah could do to restrain herself from dropping the wing in her fingers and grabbing his hands with hers, just to see what it felt like.

Having finished her share of the wings, Jareth watched as Sarah turned comfortably in the booth, leaning back against the worn, padded leather seats. Looking lost in thought, she delicately sucked the sauce from her fingers, oblivious to the mismatched eyes that drank in the sight, each movement of her fingers in and out of her lips making his breath catch in his throat.

… _Dear Gods… she has no idea what she is doing to me,_  he groaned inwardly, unable to tear his eyes away from her.

 _Gah!_  replied his inner-self and libido simultaneously demonstrating a commendable grasp of language, and then ruining it utterly with an inarticulate moan.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah caught him looking at her, at which point her inner-voice demanded that she blush furiously, take her fingers out of her mouth and attempt to look contrite. Her libido on the other hand, argued for plunging her fingers deeper into her mouth and playing the situation up for all it was worth. Remarkably, her libido won out, in what was a first, and judging from the way her libido was now streaking through her brain shrieking in hormonal glee, not likely to be the last, libidinous victory. Sarah pulled on the last reserves from her high school acting classes in order to keep looking oblivious to the way Jareth was watching her, as she leisurely sucked individual fingers into her mouth once more, letting her tongue wash over them. Unfortunately, she faltered, unable to keep a sly smile from her lips.

Seeing the smirk, Jareth rasped, " _You…_  are doing  _that_  on purpose," his voice a throaty growl, as his fingers tightened against the tabletop.

Glancing at him Sarah noticed that his eyes, usually mismatched blue and brown, were both darker, the realization that he was definitely responding to her actions, making her tremble. Fighting to keep her voice calm, she smiled sweetly at him, "I don't know what you are talking about. I am merely licking sauce from my fingers."

"Minx. Two can play that game," came the cryptic reply. Without warning Jareth grabbed her other hand between his thumb and fingers, pulling it to his lips.

The feeling of magic that shot through her at the touch of his hand made her body spasm against the padded leather of the booth, forcing a gasping moan from her lips. Grinning knowingly at her reaction, he wrapped his lips around her index finger and began sucking the sauce from it, humming against her finger as she quivered all over. His eyes never left her face as her mouth dropped open at the sight of her fingers sliding past his lips - lips she had only ever dreamed about touching her.

…  _Dear God….real life is sooooooo much better,_ she thought, before she lost herself once more to the sensation of his velvet skinned lips engulfing her fingers, as they tugged hungrily against her skin.

 _Gah!_  answered her libido and inner-self in a rare show of inarticulate solidarity.

Sarah thought that everyone in the bar would be able to smell the brimstone, as her insides caught fire at the touch of his magic and lips upon her. She was sure the fire that exploded within her would soon render her body nothing but a pile of smoldering ashes, and quite frankly, at that moment in time, she didn't care one little bit. She didn't care that is, until a hesitant voice broke in.

"Um, Sarah?" asked a quiet voice, approaching the booth from behind Jareth.

Snapping her eyes away from Jareth's ministrations of her fingers, Sarah saw one of her pledges coming toward them.

…  _Farking great timing!_

With a sheepish blush, she jerked her fingers suddenly away from his lips, curling them into a ball in her lap in an effort to rid them of the feel of his warm lips and furnace-like mouth – it wasn't working, as evidenced by the howl of protest that her libido sent up at the absence of his lips on her skin.

A slight brunette, rounded the corner of the booth coming toward them, her doe-brown eyes rimmed in red. Peering into the booth, her face dropped as she saw Jareth.

"Oh geeze. I didn't know you were on a date, Sarah," she muttered, quickly turning away from them.

Having seen the girl's red eyes, Sarah frowned, wiping her hands as she murmured, "Stop right there, Giselle," she said as she moved over into the booth. "Sit down."

"No, really…" began the other girl.

"That wasn't a request, Giselle. Now.  _Sit_ ," came the quiet yet firm reply, Jareth's eyes widened in interest as he watched Sarah's response to the other girl.

… _She would make a marvelous queen with that sense of authority,_  he thought as he watched.

 _And it doesn't hurt that the goblins adore her_ , added his inner-self smugly.

Peeking bashfully at Jareth, the younger woman sat next to Sarah, fidgeting nervously. Seeing the way Giselle looked at Jareth, Sarah smiled gently, placing her hand on the other girl's arm. "It's okay, he's… he's a friend. What happened?"

"Mark Peters happened." Giselle sniffed, slouching into the padded seat of the booth as she looked at her hands, restlessly fidgeting on the tabletop.

Jareth watched silently as Sarah sighed, leaning her head against the back of the booth and thumping it gently. Pursing her lips, she frowned, emerald eyes snapping angrily beneath hooded lids betrayed the fury rising inside her.

"How far did he get, Giselle?" Sarah asked, her voice quiet and gentle, yet tinged with steely rage.

The younger woman gave a slight smirk as she looked at Sarah, "Not far. He'll be walking with a limp for awhile, I suspect."

Jareth chuckled, a malicious smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he watched the fire dance in Sarah's eyes. He could see her potential for vicious cruelty if provoked and he knew without a doubt she would be stunning when enraged.

Giselle looked up at Sarah, then at Jareth, before returning her gaze to the table, absent-mindedly tracing names carved in the top of the pub table with a fingernail.

"Sarah… what about the Haunted Hunt, Saturday night? All of the pledges have to go and his frat is hosting it this year."

Nodding, Sarah sucked on her bottom lip, lost in thought. Suddenly, her eyes brightened as she looked at Giselle, "Two words – ipecac and cranberry juice. Dose yourself an hour before we are to leave and make sure the house mother sees that you are ill. You'll spend the evening in the infirmary, but you'll be safe from Mark."

"Sarah, you shouldn't go to the Hunt either," Giselle warned, her voice shaking as she relayed the message, warm brown eyes pleading as she looked at Sarah. "Mark said he had plans for you that would make you wish you'd never rejected him."

Sarah's eyes shot toward Jareth's face, her face blanching at the look of pain that flashed across his aristocratic features. In that instant, she found it hard to breathe, as if a whole squad of goblins were somehow sitting on her chest. The look of pain on Jareth's face, fleeting though it was, caused her blood to run cold, splashing icily through her veins until her very soul seemed to shiver. She wanted nothing more than that take Jareth's hands in hers and try to explain, but she had to deal with Giselle first.

…  _Why does there always have to be someone else that comes between us at crucial moments,_  she wailed inwardly, as her inner-self threw a tantrum, complete with kicking the ground and throwing things – wisely, her libido ducked behind dusty memories in a forgotten corner of her mind, waiting for the tantrum to end.

"I only regret ever turning down one person," Sarah said, her voice quiet and calm as she looked straight at Jareth, her emerald eyes sparkling pools of guilt, before she turned her gaze once more to Giselle. "And it sure as Hell wasn't Mark Peters," she spat venomously her voice laced with ire as her mind already began formulating a plan. "Just leave him to me. He has no idea what comes of wishing, but when I'm done with him, he's going to wish he'd kept his hands to himself."

After being reassured by Sarah that Mark wouldn't bother her again, Giselle left for home, accompanied by several friends from the pub. Returning to her beer, Sarah snuggled into the corner of the booth, her green eyes glazing over as she battled her thoughts on two fronts - how Jareth would react to what Giselle said, and how best to teach Mark a lesson.

Moments ticked by, seeming to slow down to such a degree that Sarah thought for an instant that Jareth had indeed reordered time. When he cleared his throat, she looked at him with both relief and dread, as a now gloved hand reached out to caress hers as it lay on the table.

"Did you mean what you said, Precious?"

Sarah took a deep breath. Attempting to swallow the golf ball that now felt like it was lodged in her throat, she willed her voice not to shake as she answered, "What's said is said. I won't take any of it back. Not then. And not now either."

Entwining his fingers in hers, Jareth nodded slowly, wanting to push her further for answers, but knowing that now was not the time as other matters needed to be settled first.

"And what of this Mark person?"

Leaning forward, Sarah's voice dropped so as not to be overheard by others near them, "Over the years, Mark has become fond of taking liberties with the Alpha Chi pledges and I pissed him off when I was a pledge. Not only did I reject him publically at a party, but when he cornered me in private and tried to force me…"

She gasped at the look of pure hatred that slipped into the Goblin King's eyes as she told her story, his fingers tightening around hers, stopping only when she winced painfully.

… _He seems almost…._  she thought, feeling the air around them begin to buzz with power.

 _Protective?_  Breathed her inner-self in shock.

 _Possessive_. Sighed her libido with school-girl glee, before throwing itself down on a fainting couch in a lovely imitation of a swoon.

"So… I broke his nose," she continued, smiling as Jareth relaxed his hold on her hand, the hatred in his eyes slowly fading. "And the crunch was the most satisfying feeling in the world."

Seeing Sarahs' eyes light up as she finished her story, Jareth threw back his head and laughed, a delicious baritone rumble that sent shivers down her spine. She grinned back at him, a malicious smirk playing over her cranberry colored lips at the memory of Mark's expression as she punched him.

With a purr, Jareth looked at her once more, mismatched eyes darkening visibly as he held her gaze, his thumb tenderly caressing the palm of her hand, "Believe me Sarah, there are far more satisfying feelings to experience."

Sarah felt her stomach tremble at his words and the way he seemed to wrap his lips around her name each time he said it. Feeling her breath catch in her throat at the potential meanings of his words, Sarah fought the heat that threatened to suffuse her face, and lost, as she blushed furiously. Trying to quell the heat that seemed to be burning her alive, Sarah tore her eyes away from Jareth's, taking another long drink from her glass.

"While I am sure there are other, more exquisite feelings I have yet to experience," she began, watching his eyes dance impishly at her words, knowing he too was reading into their meaning, "I'd really like the satisfaction of teaching this scum-ball a lesson regarding how _not_  to treat women."

Continuing the seductive caressing of her palm, Jareth smiled wolfishly at her, his eyes flickering with a hunger that was almost palpable in the small booth, "I would happily see to your satisfaction my dear," he purred silkily, teasing her hand with his fingers, "…in this matter and all others. What did you have in mind?"

Sarah tried hard to think, but the feeling of Jareth teasing her hand wasn't helping, rather it was making her libido squeal giddily, her inner-voice had gone into hiding somewhere in the deepest recesses of her mind, and her body was declaring outright mutiny as the fire raging in her belly threatened to consume her whole. With a grumbling sigh, Sarah reluctantly pulled her hand from his, clasping them tightly in her lap. Jareth raised arched an eyebrow at her, as a knowing smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Pursing her lips, Sarah leaned against the booth, shutting her eyes as she mulled over how best to teach Mark a much needed lesson.

… _Whatever we do, it has to get the point across._  She thought, wondering how to make Mark truly fear her. Then it hit her. The answer was literally staring her in the face.

Sitting up, she leaned forward, her eyes flashing wickedly as her lips spread in a conspiratorial grin. It was a dangerous gambit, but what was life without a little danger. Right?

"So, Jareth… what would be required in return for the services of a few goblins and their King…just for a few hours?"

"Services," came the breathy reply, as he rolled the word lazily over his tongue. Jareth's eyes darkened as he gave her a smouldering look, "You have my  _full_ and undivided attention, Precious."


	4. Cars, Castles and Overcompensation

**Chapter 4: Cars, Castles & Overcompensation**

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**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. I do own a copy of the original 'Labyrinth' book. But it isn't worth anything at all since I have read it so much the poor thing is falling apart. That said, I wouldn't mind having access to Jareth – just for a few hours ;)

 **WARNING:** This chapter contains some foul language and adult situations. It also contains references to fun with food – so if you don't like food abuse, please read something else.

 **Author's Notes:**  Thanks for the lovely reviews. I am having fun writing this story and love hearing what bits people like. So please, do continue. They always make me smile.

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**Chapter 4: Of Cars, Castles and Overcompensating for Something**

_Friday, October 25_ _th_ _– Time: Far too freaking early!_

_Hands. So many hands. Everywhere. Touching, caressing, teasing, taunting, while her body arches and writhes beneath them. But feelings can be deceiving, especially now. Here. With him. Because there is only him._

_There are only his hands, but they feel like so many more – and with magic, who is to say that there really aren't phantom hands tormenting her flesh until she cries out wildly, all pretenses gone. There is only him. And her. And unrelenting, unbridled lust that burns brightly in the soft white light of the room. His lips tease down her body, lightly caressing the soft swell of her breasts. A swift nip of sharp teeth makes her moan and squirm, hands… his hands, pressing her down firmly into the pillowy nest that surrounded them._

" _How appropriate for him," she muses, momentarily lost to the sensation of the hands, before her attention is drawn forcefully back to his lips. His tender, demanding and seductively insistent lips that draw further cries of desire from her lips. Lips that are drifting lower, lower, until they just graze her most sensitive flesh. He pauses, feathery wisps of white-blonde hair licking lightly at her skin as his lips hover over the seat of her pleasure, his heated breath further igniting the flames within her. Peering up at her, over the gentle rise of her hips, his mismatched eyes aglow with passion, words are whispered that tug at her very soul, "Yield to me, Precious."_

_And when his lips finally touch her again, she abandons everything. No fear. Nothing. Just him. And her. And pure, unadulterated need..._

_**I know I felt like this before /But now I'm feeling it even more/Because it came from you** _

Then I open up and see/The person falling here is me/A different way to be

I want more /Impossible to ignore/Impossible to ignore

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!" Sarah yelled, launching a shoe with deadly accuracy at the dresser and sending the alarm clock crashing to the floor, to fall silent in pieces.

"That clock  _was_  mine, Sarah," mumbled Carrie, peeking sleepily at her roommate, before rolling over and pulling the covers back around her ears. "You owe me a new one."

Flopping back onto her bed, Sarah rolled over, tugging the blankets around her until she looked like a floral burrito. Shutting her eyes she purred happily, as she pulled at the remaining threads of the dream and basked in the delicious feelings that came with it, fervently wishing that her dream Jareth had actually finished what he started. Again.

 _Hmm… and when is this 'wiggling wabbit' supposed to arrive?_  - asked her libido, with a grumpy sniff. _Because if these dreams get any hotter, your bed will catch fire!_

Sarah felt herself blush as she tugged at the last strands of the decadently sensual dream. She didn't want to get up. No. All she wanted was to drift back to sleep in the hopes of finding herself back in that lovely dreaming place, where she was naked, with him, and what promised to be his wickedly talented mouth.

Then she remembered.

Tonight was the Haunted Hunt, followed by…..

 _Another date with Jareth,_ purred her libido happily.  _Although facing him and not blushing after_ _ **that**_ _dream, could be something of a problem…for_ _ **you**_ _, since you know that I vote for just jumping him and being done with it._

Pointedly ignoring her libido's continued attempts at getting her to throw herself at Jareth, Sarah let a sly smile creep over her face as she considered the much-deserved revenge she had planned for Mark, thanks to the (almost too) willing assistance of one, incredibly handsome, wickedly funny, and deliciously inventive, Goblin King.

 _Don't forget devilishly seductive_ , drooled her libido.

… _How could I ever forget_ _ **that**_ _after the buffalo wings,_  Sarah thought with a shiver of delight.

She was actually surprised that Jareth's price for the services of both himself as the Goblin King, and a pack of six goblins was not only reasonable, but she actually felt she was getting the better end of the bargain. She had expected him to take liberties or  _something_ , but he didn't.

Of course,  _that_  should have been her first clue that perhaps things weren't what they seemed, but one thought about buffalo wings and Jareth's mouth, and all rational, self-preservation went straight out the window – not that her libido was complaining.

In exchange for the services of six, carefully selected goblins from the ever-present horde that hung out in the throne room, Jareth wanted Sarah to meet him for a 'date' a day from Friday the 25th, until Samhain – six dates in exchange for six goblins. Yup - he was even counting her revenge plot as one of her she had been thinking clearly instead of listening to her libido, this is where she should have sat up and asked what the cost would be for Jareth's help, but she didn't and he didn't offer to clarify that situation. As it stood, Sarah felt that his offer was more than fair. And to be honest, she was actually looking forward to spending more time with him; having him request the meetings himself, only meant that she avoided the potential embarrassment of asking him, especially considering her near inarticulate babbling when she asked him to dinner the first time.

… _I sounded like a complete and utter idiot._

 _Judging from his reactions, I'd say he didn't mind one little bit. Now…take him for ice cream next time_ , begged her libido, wanting nothing more than to see Jareth's tongue in action again, even if it was only on an ice-cream cone.  _Better still… take him for ribs!_ The very thought of Jareth eating ribs, dripping sauce and all, made her libido tremble uncontrollably, before going to have a bit of a lie down amongst Sarah's more 'naughty' fantasies – which incidentally featured a certain Goblin King, and not surprising at all after the buffalo wing incident – food of various types (the messier the better in her libido's 'ever-so-helpful-and-not-the-least-bit-self-serving' opinion).

Funnily enough, her inner-voice remained oddly quiet during this whole exchange. It had effectively short-circuited when Jareth first stuck Sarah's fingers in his mouth, and hadn't gotten past the image (or feeling) of his warm and oh-so inviting mouth wrapped around them enough to reboot into 'snarky hall-monitor' mode (much to her libido's relief).

After her coffee-turned-dinner-date with Jareth on Thursday, Sarah came home to a very excited Carrie, who had heard through the Greek system grapevine (the most advanced and fastest information network on campus) that Sarah had been seen at Darcy's Bar with a 'to-die-for' blonde guy. Sarah had hardly entered their room when Carrie tackled her, threw her onto the floor and sat on her chest, tickling her until she told every last sordid detail; details which left Carrie looking as flushed and excited about things as Sarah did when Jareth's lips were actually wrapped around her fingers – and  _that_  is saying something.

Once Carrie learned about the revenge plan on Mark, she demanded to participate and Sarah was only too glad to let her. Revenge would be sweet. And all they really had to do was let Mark follow through on whatever plot he had cooked up for Sarah – Jareth and the goblins would take care of the rest.

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_Friday, October 25_ _th_ _, 10:00pm – The Haunted Hunt_

"Are you sure Jareth is going to be watching out for you?" whispered Carrie as they sorted the pledges into groups.

Nodding, Sarah winked at Carrie, "Trust me. You didn't see the look of hatred on his face when I told him what Mark tried with me. He'll be watching and waiting for his moment. This will be one Haunted Hunt that Mark will  _never_  forget."

The Haunted Hunt was an annual fundraising event sponsored by the Lamda Chi fraternity. Each Halloween they took over a local farm and forest, creating an extensive haunted house adventure. The 2-acre adventure was always a hit with the university students, and this year was no exception. Large groups of students milled around waiting for the tours to begin for the evening. The Alpha Chi girls had arrived later than usual and would be one of the last groups on the tour, but that didn't bother them, as the atmosphere in the waiting area was more of an impromptu party with music playing, people dancing and the usual silliness that happens wherever large groups of university students gather.

While they waited, Sarah made sure that Mark's friends knew she was there with her group. Doing her part, Carrie made a big deal about the fact that Sarah was afraid of being separated from her group, a fact that seemed to be very interesting to several of Mark's friends. As Carrie chatting up the Lambda Chi brothers, Sarah e flirted shamelessly with one of Mark's best friends.

 _I hope Jareth isn't watching you do this_ , muttered her libido, not wanting him to think she was actually interested in the slimy twit she was currently leaning against in an all-together too familiar manner.

… _He knows this was part of the plan. I made sure of it_ , Sarah thought, trying to reassure herself, and not really sure why she felt that was necessary, after all, it wasn't like she wanted the Goblin King for herself . At least, that is what she was trying to convince herself, while her libido had other ideas.

When her groups' turn came to tour the property, Sarah made sure to stay toward the back of the throng of screaming, giggling girls. Having been through the hunt the previous year, she figured that Mark would probably try to separate her from the rest of the group and she wanted to make it very easy for him to do so.

Her group of pledges reacted as expected to the thrills of the hunt. Yelping at the sounds of screams coming from the trees. Clinging to each other when the headless horseman galloped past them. And screaming when the chainsaw wielding maniac raced from behind a stand of trees and began to chase them.

… _Let the hunt begin_ , Sarah chuckled as she ran along with her group, long legs keeping a steady pace that allowed her to keep the group in sight, while lagging a few lengths behind them.

Sarah let the brothers dressed as various horror movie characters herd her down the forest path with the rest of the group. Then it happened. At a fork in the path a group of fraternity brothers dressed like zombies began to chase the pledges one way, while the chainsaw swinging lunatic herded Sarah down the other path.

As she raced down the path, screaming as if she was being chased by something truly frightening, knowing all the while that while he might be acting on Mark's orders, in the end he was doing what she expected.

While sprinting around a bend, with the chainless chainsaw slashing at her heels, Sarah had a brief moment of panic when her inner-voice finally found the power to reboot itself into its usual pessimistic glory.

_What if Jareth isn't really watching? What if he has set you up to get hurt?_

Sarah squelched the thought and kept running. If he wasn't watching, then she'd just have to get out of whatever Mark had planned for her by herself. She had beat him once, she could do it again if she had to.

_Which him…Mark or Jareth._

… _Does it matter?_

She didn't have long to consider things, before she found that she had been chased into a small clearing and straight into two of the brothers wearing 'Scream' costumes, the white screaming face masks seeming to glow in the flickering moonlight as it bled through the skeletal frames of the trees.

The two figures leapt at Sarah, grabbing her arms and pinning them behind her back. Playing her part, Sarah shrieked, still fervently hoping that Jareth hadn't set her up. Looking up she saw Mark coming toward her through the clearing, his eyes shining with malicious glee as he looked at her.

"Hold her tight, guys. She likes to fight," he ordered, his lips twisted into a malevolent sneer.

Reaching her, Mark moved suddenly, his hand flashing out before connecting sharply with her cheek, making her cry out.

… _M'kay….so that wasn't part of the plan,_  she thought, nibbling her lip with worry.

"Strip the bitch, it is time she learns who is in charge around here," Mark instructed.

Sarah glared at him, her emerald eyes snapping viciously. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she spat.

"Why not?" asked Mark. "There is no one here to save you this time. You're mine."

"I didn't need anyone to help me when I broke your nose the last time you messed with me. Or didn't you tell your friends that it was a _girl_  who did that?"

Mark growled, slapping her again, the sound cracking loudly in the silence of the clearing.

"No one knows you're here, bitch. They'll just think you got lost. I've got all the time I need to teach you a lesson."

Sarah laughed, the sound sharp and harsh in the desolate clearing. "That…is where you very wrong. I have a very powerful friend who is looking forward to meeting you."

A low chittering noise echoed from the trees, the sound seeming to draw closer to them. Those holding Sarah looked around, trying to see where the noise was coming from. Looking up, Sarah saw Jareth materialize behind Mark, the masked guys holding her gasping in fear as his figure came into focus. Sarah grinned at Mark, a cruel smirk teasing her lips.

"In fact, here he is now."

Seeing Sarah's eyes drawn behind him, Mark whirled around, gawping at the sight that greeted him. An imposing figure stood menacingly behind him, dressed in an embossed leather breastplate, decorated with what appeared to be grotesque faces, with wide staring eyes and mouths open in mid-scream. As he stood there, a sinister wind whipped through the clearing, making the heavy leather cloak dance against the leather of his boots. In his hand he held a shining crystal ball. His darkly arched eyebrows and devilish smile made Mark tremble in spite of himself.

Sarah felt the grip on her arms release as Jareth appeared. Studying him as he towered over Mark, she supposed that to anyone else he would look particularly terrifying, however thanks to the buffalo wing incident, what she felt was not terror – not by a long shot. No, the feeling she was engulfed by, while new to her in relation to Jareth, was not fear, but unparalleled lust.

Finally finding his voice, Mark managed to stammer with a squeak, "Wh…Who?"

Sarah laughed impishly. "Oh. Now where are my manners?" Moving to stand in front of Jareth, she gave Mark a mocking smirk, as Jareth's arms snaked around her body in a possessive show that made her libido squeal with delight before melting into a quivering mess of hormone driven-sludge. While his gesture wasn't part of the plan, it certainly got Mark's attention. Patting Jareth's gloved hand as it lightly caressed her hip, she purred darkly, "Jareth, this is Mark Peters, wanna-be rapist and full-time slime ball. Mark, this is Jareth. King of the Goblins and Lord of the Labyrinth."

Sarah giggled evilly at the look of shock on Mark's face, his two friends standing frozen next to him. She was surprised when he actually tried to speak once more, apparently he was a stupid and clueless as he looked.

"Why would he care about you? You're no body," he muttered in a last-ditch attempt a bravado, which failed miserably as his words came out a petulant whine.

The scuttling noises around them got louder, followed by girlish squeaks of fright from Mark and his friends when the goblins appeared, their long, clawed fingers gripping them painfully. Sarah felt Jareth lean over her shoulder toward Mark; his body pressing against her back in such a way that made her libido go into convulsions of ecstasy, just by his nearness and the heady scent of him, like cinnamon and wood smoke, tinged with well-worn leather.

"On the contrary,  _boy_. She is the Champion of my labyrinth and as such, myself and my subjects are somewhat protective of her," growled Jareth, his voice steely and cold. "And  _you_  have deigned to harm her, something I will not tolerate. And neither will they," he gestured at the goblins who were grinning maniacally up at Mark, their yellowing teeth glowing in the light as they murmured in agreement with their king.

Sarah felt Jareth's lips lightly brush near her ear as he spoke and shivered inwardly, trying to suppress the purr of delight that threatened to burst from her.

"And now Precious. What would you have me do with these sad, little excuses for  _boys_?"

Playing into the role now, Sarah leaned back further into Jareth, "Wipe the memories of Mark's friends here so they don't remember any of this and send them back to the waiting area."

With a flourish, Jareth flicked a crystal at the two costumed figures, who cringed and yelped as it came flying at them. With a soft popping noise, the crystal vanished as did Mark's friends. Seeing his friends disappear, leaving him alone with the scary madman in the leather cloak and armor, Mark opened his mouth in a soundless scream, his eyes wide in horror.

Jareth's voice dropped, his tone hinting at evil intent. "And what of  _this_  one?" he asked, his eyes glittering with wicked glee as he glowered at Mark, who was frozen to the spot, his mind screaming to run while his limbs refused to obey. "Shall I drop him in an oubliette and wipe away any memory of his existence?"

Chuckling, Sarah looked at the terrified grimace on Mark's face, She was enjoying every minute of his fear, and after what he put her through, she thought she was entitled to be just a bit cruel to him.

"While dropping him in an oubliette seems lovely, I have a better plan," she drawled with a malicious sneer. "Public. Humiliation."

Marks eyes bulged at the cruel smirk she gave him, her green eyes flashing with impish delight. Moving toward him, she jabbed him in the shoulder with a sharp nail, "You have been mean, nasty and downright rotten, Mark. And now, it is time for payback. Strip."

"No," came the hesitant reply, as Mark glared at her, torn between being angry at her and frightened of the caped man who was now lurking in the shadows, his mismatched eyes boring holes into Mark's chest.

Sarah clucked her tongue at him, brunette waves bouncing as she shook her head. Backing away from Mark, she grinned, the look sending a shiver down his spine.

"Wrong answer, Mark," she laughed. "You either do it yourself or I'll get the goblins to do it. And if they do it, I can't be held responsible for any damage they do to your clothing  _or you_. They can be so enthusiastic when asked to do something."

The goblins cackled raucously, jumping eagerly around Mark's legs, their long fingers pinching and grabbing at him as they waited for the order they hoped would be given. As they looked hungrily up at him, their baleful eyes glittered in the dim light, making them look as if they had come straight from the bowels of Hell itself.

Mark didn't move, his gaze shifting fearfully from Sarah to the cloaked man, and then back to the small mass of grotesque looking creatures that were clawing at him.

Tired of waiting, Jareth snarled. "Too slow, Mark. Goblins… take care of it."

The pack of goblins jumped on Mark, hiding him from view as they followed the King's command. Soon the clearing was filled with the sound of Mark's screams, tearing fabric and the gleeful chortling of the goblins. When they finished stripping him, they deposited his clothing at Sarah's feet, before scampering back into the shadows to await their next order.

Sarah surveyed Mark with amusement, raising a sculpted eyebrow as a sardonic sneer spread across her face. "Boxers?" Peering more closely at the boxers, Sarah laughed darkly, the sound piercing Mark, making him cower before her. "Take them off."

"But…." Mark protested weakly, his voice trembling as he clutched fretfully at what remained of his clothing - and dignity.

Sarah waved a hand gesturing toward the goblins, "Do you really want them to do it for you?"

Whimpering, Mark cast a fearful glance into the shadows, before bending to slide the boxers down his legs. Standing he tossed them at Sarah's feet, before covering himself.

A wicked chuckle erupted from Sarah, echoed by Jareth, the sound ringing around the clearing, taunting Mark with the malicious merriment at his expense.

"Well," grinned Sarah as she stalked around the naked form of Mark, seeing his pasty skin reflecting the moonlight. "That explains the stupidly large truck you drive around in."

Looking up at Jareth, she noted his bemused expression. "Do tell, Precious?"

Laughing wickedly at Mark's embarrassment, Sarah smiled at Jareth, "Aboveground there is a saying that men who drive big cars, have big houses, or big, fast toys of any sort, are doing so to compensate for what they lack sexually. And judging from what I've seen here, Mark here is definitely trying to compensate for something."

Raising an eyebrow at Sarah, Jareth gave her a knowing look. "And would you say the same of me, Sarah Dearest?"

"Big castle not withstanding," she began, an impish grin tugging at her lips as her emerald eyes flared in his direction, "I suspect that you have nothing to overcompensate for. Besides, it isn't like the trousers you favor hide much."

Surprised at her bold statement, Jareth stepped toward her in one swift movement, his voice low in her ear, unheard by Mark, "So you _have_  been looking. Naughty girl."

Sarah blushed deeply, enjoying the feeling of living dangerously where Jareth was concerned. Giving a seductive purr, she laughed, "If you don't want girls to look, don't advertise."

As enjoyable as it was taunting Jareth, Sarah fought to return her attention to her purpose for being in the woods in the first place. Turning back to Mark she stalked toward him, roughly grabbing him by the hair and jerking his head upward, a cruel smile twisting her pale features. Mark whimpered piteously, his vulnerability showing in his cowed posture and teary eyes.

"Now then Mark. You will not even  _dare_ look at or touch another Alpha Chi pledge or sister. In fact, if you know what is good for you, you won't even consider mistreating another woman. Period. Because if I ever find out that you're up to your old tricks again, I'll gladly turn you over to the Goblin King to do whatever he sees fit with you. And something tells me that if you think what I've done to you is bad… whatever he does will be 100 times worse."

Mark moaned in response as she shook his head forcefully before releasing her grip on his hair.

Turning on her heel, Sarah stepped away from him, then paused, sneering over her shoulder at him, "I have only one more thing to say to you Mark…. _Run._ "

Jareth laughed evilly, the sound rumbling through the clearing as he watched the naked, pasty white form of Mark take off at a lumbering run through the trees, hands still clamped over his sad excuse for genitalia. He gave Mark a brief head start before setting the goblins after him. It was a haunted hunt after all, and the goblin horde always loved a good moonlight hunt. Getting to chase a deviant human for a change only added to the fun as far as the horde was concerned.

What happened next was as much of a surprise to Sarah as it was to Jareth.

Maybe it was the wicked delight she got from seeing Mark go streaking naked through the woods with a pack of goblins ki-yiking at his heels. Or maybe it was the gleefully nasty grin on Jareth's face, having been the cause of Mark's terrified run through the woods. Or maybe it was just the fact that Jareth was standing in front of her dressed head-to-toe in goblin battle regalia, his corn-silk hair dancing wildly in the late evening breeze, accenting the sharp arch of his eyebrows that sparkled in the haze of glitter which perpetually seemed to surround him and made him look oh so frightening, authoritative and…

 _Downright sexy,_  drooled her libido, as Sarah and her inner-voice responded in unison with a strangled –  _Gah!_

Whatever it was, somewhere between Mark racing from the clearing toward the woods shrieking like a little girl and the rowdy horde of goblins taking off after him, Sarah launched herself at the Goblin King, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Much to her own surprise, as well as that of the Goblin King, it was not a chaste 'Thank you' peck – but a full on, 'I-want-to-taste-what-you-had-for-dinner-last-night' kiss that left them both breathless, before Sarah abruptly realized what she had done and pulled away – that is, she tried to pull away.

…  _I kissed him! Oh my God! I can't believe I kissed the Goblin King!_  Sarah moaned to herself.

 _Believe it toots…_  replied her inner-self, shaking its head in dismayed wonder.

 _And Gawd…what a kiss it was too!_  squealed her libido with barely restrained glee.  _You take awhile to get warmed up, but when you do you go from chilly to volcanic in under 60 seconds!_

The kiss surprised Jareth, from the tips of his wispy hair to the tips of his highly polished boots. He had been snarling at the receding figure of Mark as he ran past, when he felt a solid mass thud forcefully against his chest. Before he could fully register what was happening, Sarah's lips were thrust against his. Blinking in surprise, Jareth quickly recovered, his arms snaking tightly around her.

… _If she is going to throw herself at me and force kisses upon my person, who am I to stop her?_

 _You'd be a fool_ , nodded his inner-self, while his libido merely started cataloguing all of the wickedly wonderful things he would happily do to the seemingly willing Sarah; at which point his inner-self rolled it's eyes in irritation, with just a hint of frustration at the fact that he was sure that Sarah was not going to be  _that_  willing – at least not yet.

When she broke the kiss, and tried to pull away from him, Jareth chuckled darkly, the sound a devilish purr that seemed to linger on the chilly breeze. Peering down at the stunned mullet expression on her face, Jareth grinned broadly, his sharp teeth framed by thin lips, like a lion staring down a delectable dinner.

And she did look delicious, even more so now that she was in his arms.

As part of her plan, Sarah dressed with the primary intention of enticing Mark into the woods. Her lithe body was encased in a black satin corset worn underneath a leather jacket, with a short black skirt and knee high leather boots. The outfit had piqued Mark's interest just as she said it would, however it was having quite the effect on Jareth as well. Needless to say, between the outfit, Sarah throwing herself in his arms and then snogging him good and proper, he was (quite naturally) more than a little reluctant to let her go.

"Oh shit. I am soooo sorry!" she stammered, her face glowing hot enough she felt like she could be used as an airport landing beacon. Sarah attempted to squirm away in her embarrassment, but found herself held fast in his arms.

 _Strong, steely, oh so wonderfully male arms,_  drooled her libido, beside itself at this new development. Even her inner-self had to admit that the feeling of Jareth's arms around her was "rather nice" – which, considering the prudish tendencies of her inner-voice, was on par with anyone else thinking, "Take me, I'm yours."

"Don't be, Precious," he crooned with a mischievous smirk, a gloved hand gently tipping her face upward to look at him, a sultry smirk flickering brightly in his eyes. "I'm certainly not."

"I…I don't know what came over me," she stuttered, partly trying to escape his arms, and partly mesmerized by the feeling of them.

"What ever it was, I look forward to it coming over you again," came the sultry purr. "Do tell me what I can do to help spur it coming over you more often."

Sarah felt her heart race at Jareth's teasing, her face blushing hotly under his piercing gaze. She could hear Mark's screams in the distance, and knew the chase was at an end when the goblins came cackling back into the clearing, capering around their king as he held her against his chest.

 _Kiss him again! Oh hell….kiss him all night long!_  Pleaded her libido, cheering for the momentary lapse of logic, sense and…

… _sanity,_  moaned Sarah inwardly, still trying to come to terms with the fact that she not only kissed Jareth, but kissed him fully and with a passion she never would have expected herself capable of, with anyone, much less the Goblin King.

With a nimble spin, Sarah ducked out of his arms. Stooping she grabbed Mark's clothes and started to back away.

"I'd better head back to the rest of the group and explain Mark's state," she muttered, while her libido howled as if it were being killed, by the removal of Jareth's arms.

 _And lips_ , it sobbed.  _Those luscious lips!_

Before she could turn and bolt out of the clearing, Jareth caught up to her, wrapping her once more in his arms.

"I'll let you go in a moment, Precious. First however, we have a small matter of business to attend to," he drawled silkily, mismatched eyes flickering wickedly in the moonlight.

"Business?" she whispered, feeling her blood run cold as she kicked herself.

…Fucking tricky Fae. I  **knew**  they couldn't be trusted. Jareth least of all! She scolded herself bitterly, while her inner-voice sat there with a smug 'I tried to warn you' look on its face.

"Yes, Sarah. You agreed to six dates in exchange for the services of six goblins. However, you left before we could negotiate the price for  _my_  services. The price, Sarah dearest, is seven kisses, freely given by you. The first six to be collected on each of our dates. The seventh is mine to claim at a time and place of my choosing."

Sarah gulped, her belly seeming to drop out of her body at the meaning of his words. The six, well…she could deal with those. But the seventh…

… _He tricked me!_  She moaned to herself.  _By his own wording he could come back and claim in on her wedding day, in the middle of the wedding!_

"That isn't fair," she gasped, frustrated when her voice shook as she spoke.

Jareth raised an eyebrow in a sardonic smirk as he looked at her.

Grumbling she continued, "Well…it isn't. If the negotiation wasn't complete, you should have said something. You can't change the rules of the game in the middle of play."

Jareth merely chuckled, the sound hanging heavily around her. "Ahh… but I can and I did, Precious. And really, was kissing me so bad?"

 _NO!_   _It was freaking fantastic!_  screamed her libido with a great deal of enthusiasm.

…  _Well… it was a hell of a kiss. Giving him six more might not be so bad._  She thought, as her inner-voice was trying to reign in her libido once more – and failing.

"Since you added a last minute rider to our bargain, I am too," she said, her voice becoming stronger, yet tinged with a strange husky purr that she was unprepared to hear coming from her own mouth.

By the bemused smirk he gave her, she knew she had his interest. As she was rapidly learning, Jareth loved anything that smacked of a wager or challenge.

"The seventh kiss must happy by midnight on Halloween."

"Done," came the rapid reply.

 _That was entirely too easy. There has to be a catch,_  warned her inner-voice with a cautious frown.  _He agreed far too fast to the terms. So he must be up to something._

Completely ignoring the inner-voice's concern, Sarah's libido cheered. Sarah herself breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the tricky Fae now couldn't show up in the middle of graduation or her wedding and demand a kiss.

Only partially listening to her inner-voice, Sarah hoped that for once, it was going to have no reason to say 'I-told-you-so'.

"And now Sarah Dear, I believe you need to return to your friends so tell them about Mark's mishap in the woods and his cowardice concerning strange noises. Mustn't keep them waiting," he chuckled, conjuring a crystal. With a wink he dropped it at her feet and she disappeared, to rejoin the group of students at the main gates.

So she told Mark's friends and hers the story she and Carrie had concocted of how Mark thought he was going to get back at Sarah, having stripped down to play a trick on her, then got scared by strange noises in the woods and took off yelling about goblins. She told the story. And told it. Then told it again. The whole while, she was thinking about Jareth and the revised conditions of their bargain.

… _It is just seven kisses. What could go wrong?_


	5. How to Eat a Banana

**Chapter 5: How to Eat a Banana**

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. However, I would love a couple hours alone with Jareth, someplace private. *purrr*

 **Warning:**  Adult themes and language in this chapter. There is also more food abuse (I'm starting to suspect that as a writer, I have something of a food fetish. Is that bad?). No goblins or chickens were harmed in the writing of this chapter, although the worm is still in therapy after reading a preliminary draft of the next chapter (poor dear thinks he is going to be eaten).

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 **Author's Note:**  Thank you for the lovely reviews. This story, while completely silly-fluff, has been fun to write. I was hoping to finish it by Halloween, but I think it will be the week after. We have 4 chapters left in this saga.

Also….Reviews keep me happy in lieu of chocolate!

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**Ch. 5: 1 How to Eat a Banana**

"Damn and blast!" Jareth cursed, storming into the throne room, his foul mood sending any goblin with at least two brain cells scurrying for cover.

Unfortunately, given the nature of goblins, that left plenty of them in the throne room for the king to kick as he stalked by. Swiftly kicking two goblins across the room did nothing to make him feel better. If anything, he felt somewhat worse as the two goblins that got in his way were two of horde he had taken with him to help Sarah the night before, and he was sure she would be unimpressed to hear that he had been kicking them around, even though they did enjoy it (kind of). Well…they didn't complain, but that was probably more a matter of self-preservation than actual enjoyment, however Jareth was too aggravated to spend much time contemplating gobbling motives and mentality.

With a frustrated sigh, the Goblin King threw himself casually upon the throne, draping his legs over the arm as brooded about the cruel joke fate seemed to be playing on him. It shouldn't have surprised him really. It was the first time in a nearly a century that he had something he really wanted to be doing, and of course he would get a summons. Doing his duty, he had gone. He had been frightening. He had been charming. He had tried all of his usual tricks to convince the stubborn boy to take his dreams and leave his little sister – nothing worked.

… _Blasted boy wouldn't budge._ _ **Now**_ _he gets an attack of guilt regarding his treatment of his sister,_  Jareth thought, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation.  _Why couldn't they have the guilt attacks_ _ **before**_ _they wish their siblings away. It would save all of this 'But I need them back' nonsense._

 _And don't forget the tears and begging,_  grumbled his libido, who was horrendously grumpy about missing a date with Sarah, particularly given her impromptu snogging of the night before - snogging that his libido fervently hoped for more of. Much. More.

And now the silly boy was running the labyrinth to win back his sister.  _Now_  of all times, when Jareth was due to for his first 'real' date with Sarah in 10 hours. Oh, he could just pop into her bedroom now, and transport her straight to the castle (preferably his chambers, more specifically his bed), but he was positive that sort of behavior wouldn't help him find his way into Sarah's good graces. No, there was nothing for it, he had to go about things in the Aboveground way – which meant no randomly transporting her.

Peering into the crystal, he saw that the boy had indeed made it through the gate, with 12 hours and 32 minutes left. Jareth frowned. He had two options as he saw it. Help the lad out so he could finish the labyrinth quickly, or send everything he had at the child and encourage him to quit quickly.

… _Sarah is the only one who ever beat me,_  he sighed, letting his eyes fall shut as he relived her kissing him.

 _And I would rather she be the last, thank you very much,_  pouted his inner-self, who was not so easily placated with kisses and watching her suck so wantonly upon her fingers.

So, all in all, the first choice was really no choice at all. Which left only the second. With a deft flick of his hand, Jareth called up a crystal and barked into it.

"Hogbrain!"

Hoggle's bulbous nose and ruddy face faded into view on the shimmering crystal skin, his bushy eyebrows narrowed with obvious distrust as he responded to his monarch's growl.

"Yes, yer Majesty?" Hoggle asked, knowing that he was unlikely to like the answer.

"We have a runner. Make sure he doesn't make it to the castle and please do a better job than you did with Sarah," Jareth snapped. "In fact, if you make sure that the lad gives up within the next 6 hours, I'll move you off of fairy extermination duty and make you a castle gardener.

Now  _this_  took Hoggle by surprise for two reasons. First, the king had said  _her_ name, a name that Hoggle hadn't heard pass the King's lips since Jareth hauled him, Sir Didymus and Ludo before the court and punished them for helping her all those years before. Then there was the fact that Jareth wasn't nice. In Hoggle's book, he was a rat and once a rat, always a rat. Yet, here he was, offering Hoggle a cushy (by goblin standards) position at the castle.

Something was clearly going on.

"Um…sure yer Majesty. Any limits on what tactics I can use?" Hoggle asked, already starting to mentally catalogue the best way to discourage runners.

"Use any of the non-deadly, but highly annoying or frightening creatures in the labyrinth. Don't kill the boy, but by all means make him cry. I just want him out of the labyrinth by 4pm. Do it before 3pm and I'll even move your hovel to the border of the Goblin City forest," Jareth offered, his mismatched eyes giving nothing away as he gazed into the crystal.

Hoggle's jaw dropped. Whatever was up, it had to be  _big_.

Seeing the slack-jawed look of surprise on Hoggle's face, Jareth flipped the crystal into the air and let it pop in a shower of silver glitter. The dwarf would do his job, and if the look on his face was any indication, he would be expedient about it, which pleased Jareth no end.

Frowning, Jareth settled onto the throne once more. While Hoggle was likely to be somewhat determined in deterring the runner, there was no guarantee that he would be able to do so in time for Jareth to make his date with Sarah. Ordinarily he would just reorder time, but for some reason, Sarah was trusting him at the moment and he would rather her continue that trend, so manipulating time was put in the 'forbidden' pile, along with enchanted food.

 _More's the pity_ , sighed his inner-self wistfully.  _Enchanted food would be a far more sure way of making her agreeable to you._

…  _It is not an agreeable Sarah that I want. I want her as she is. Stubborn. Feisty. Infinitely trying_ , he smiled inwardly.  _And most importantly, my equal._

 _I think you meant, most importantly in your bed, mate!_ Muttered his libido, shivering with delight at the mere thought of her in his bed willingly.  _At any rate, it would be best to let Sarah know you might not make it. It wouldn't do to piss her off now, when she has willingly kissed you,_  counseled his libido, for once being wise – although clearly self-serving, as it was clearly hoping for more of those kisses, amongst other things.

…  _Agreed,_  Jareth murmured, musing how best to break the news to her.

* * *

_Peaches. The juice was everywhere. In her hair. Glossing her lips. Smeared over her stomach. Running down her thighs. From head to toe she was coated in it and didn't, for one single second, care. All she cared about was his lips. His tongue. And the sweet, horribly sensual torment he was inflicting upon her._

_Peach nectar. Sticky, sweet and hypnotic. Fat drops slid lazily over the slope of her breasts, dipping to hide between them, before tracing the curve below. Warm lips followed their path, feasting up on the slippery sweet trail of juice that spilled over her body. His tongue dragging with infinite slowness along her flesh, making her whimper and moan with the intense 'want' that flared within her._

_All night long. Peaches. Nectar. His tongue. Her body. No escape. But no release either. The desire building until she was ready to burst, sure that when she did it would be…_

_Peaches. Nectar. And juice everywhere._

_And his lips were on her….fingers?_

"Hungh?" Sarah lurched awake, the sensual dream sliding from her mind as easily as silk upon satin.  _Why do I still feel his lips on my fingers?_

Looking at her hand, Sarah bolted upright in the bed, an indignant squeak sneaking past her lips as she snatched her hand out of Squint's mouth.

"Yummy. Peaches," he grinned inanely at her, licking his twisted lips.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sarah demanded, casting a quick glance at the still sleeping Carrie. Having gotten in much later than Sarah last night, Carrie was sleeping heavily enough that the entire goblin horde could play charades in the room and she would probably sleep through it.

"King sent me with a message," replied Squint, holding out a parchment scroll and a crystal.

Snatching the scroll from his stubby fingers, Sarah growled at him as she glared at the crystal in he gave her, " _That_  still doesn't explain why you were  _licking_  my fingers!"

"They taste like peaches," he shrugged, before heading back to the closet and the portal to the Underground, as if that explained everything.

Sarah sniffed her fingers realizing that Squint was right they did smell like peaches. In fact, her entire bed smelled like peaches. Grabbing a handful of her hair, she held it under her nose.  _What the hell?_  She wondered.  _Jareth has to be doing this. I am so going to give him hell for messing with my dreams._

Still cursing Jareth and his peach fetish, Sarah opened the scroll and frowned. As much as she might want to give him a piece of her mind, she wasn't happy with the news she had just received.

_Dearest Sarah –_

_It is with deepest regret that I must inform you that I will likely not make our engagement this evening as I am supervising a runner. Please make alternate plans without me. Believe me when I say, I would far rather be spending time with you, as I was quite anticipating your next kiss. I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow, in the meantime please accept this gift – no strings attached._

_Yours,_

_\- J_

Finishing the note, Sarah peered more closely at the crystal. In the depths she saw movement. A flash of white-blonde hair. Brunette waves. And flesh – lots of flesh, a slow moving symphony of flesh that heaved and writhed and….

… _Oh holy shit_ , she whispered, her emerald eyes wide as a blush crept hotly across her pale cheeks. In her hand she held her dream, the one she had just had.  _The incorrigible bastard!_ As the ending of her dream came into focus, she saw what would have happened had Squint not woken her up by licking her fingers.

 _Play it again! PLEASE….play it again!_  Begged her libido, having been entranced by the sight of the dream and the mind-numbing, skin-tingling ending.  _Oh dear Gods. When is that package going to arrive?_

Sarah had to admit, she was starting to wish the package had arrived too.

As she was considering the package, the crystal in her hand seemed to shiver and expand until she was holding….

… _A fucking peach!_

* * *

A long brunette wave fluttered over Sarah's cheek as she leaned over her cards. Schooling her face into a frown to hopefully throw the other players off, she smiled inwardly. On the deal she found herself with a possible royal flush in hearts, holding the10, jack, queen and ace. The only thing she was missing was the king of hearts, and she had a very strong inkling that she would find him in her hand before the game was done.

"Yo! Sarah. There is some guy on the porch who wants to see you," a male voice shouted from the doorway, his voice barely carrying over the din from the room next door. "We told him this was a private party, but he refuses to take no for an answer. What do you want us to do with him?"

Grumbling, Sarah folded her cards and held them against her chest, green eyes flashing irritably at Jeff. "Not now. At least wait until this hand is over."

Carrie peered over Sarah's shoulder, her face neutral as she surveyed her roommate's hand. It was the best hand she had drawn all evening, which was saying something since Sarah was in possession of more clothing than the others around the table who were playing 'Truth, Dare or Strip' – a mutant version of poker created by the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Carrie had to chuckle at the pile of Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts and even flip-flops sitting in a tidy pile next to Sarah.

After getting Jareth's message that he would be unable to make their date, Carrie convinced Sarah that it would be better to go out and have fun, than sit at home and pretend she wasn't moping about missing Jareth's company. So, it was with a tinge of embarrassment that Sarah had followed Carrie's lead, donned a skimpy bikini, grass skirt and a horrifically ugly Hawaiian shirt with small yellow pineapples and fuchsia colored hibiscus flowers set on a lime green background, and headed to the "Margaritaville Beach Bash" at the ATΩ house.

Not being one for frat parties, she soon found the game room and was invited to join the unique poker game. Ever since her run in the Labyrinth, Sarah had found that she was inordinately lucky when it came to playing games, and tonight was no exception.

 _In another hand, if things go my way, Peter and Angie should be down to their swimsuits…and Angie will definitely drop out at that point,_ Sarah thought with an inward smirk, working to keep her poker face in a frown, as it would never do for them to suspect her hand.

Shrugging Carrie from hanging over her shoulder, Sarah muttered, "Carrie, please go see who it is and what they want. Unless my parents are in mortal danger or our house is burning down, get rid of them."

"Sure thing, girlfriend. But you really shouldn't stay in the game with just a pair of twos," quipped Carrie as she headed out of the basement game room, giggling at the hopeful faces of the other players. She really loved screwing with their heads, and the game for that matter.

Leaving Sarah to continue her winning streak, Carrie dodged various couples engaged in checking each other's tonsils, as she bounded up the stairs toward the front porch. It seemed odd to have a beach party so late in the fall, but the Alpha Tau guys had done a great job, despite the cold snap. They rented several hot tubs for the back yard, brought a wading pool into the downstairs party room and moved the dancing up to the formal dining room. All in all, judging from the crowds of swim suit clad, lei and Hawaiian shirt wearing party-goer's spilling into every room both upstairs and down, the party was going to be the event of the season.

While fraternity parties were not a favorite event of either Carrie or Sarah, they had lots of friends amongst the Alpha Tau guys, so much so that they were considered less like 'ATΩ Roses', the name given to the girlfriends and female friends of the fraternity brothers, and more like 'little sisters' of the house. This suited Sarah and Carrie just fine, as it meant they were well known, well-liked and listened to by both the brothers of the house and the pledges, a form of respect not given to any of the 'Roses'.

Carrie grabbed the pledge by the door handing out leis and sent him out in the cold to retrieve the guy looking for Sarah. Unfortunately, she was unprepared for who the poor pledge, looking thoroughly frightened by Carrie's brusque order, brought back.

"You," she gasped, looking up into the bemused face of Jareth as his mismatched eyes wandered over her, a hint of mirth teasing at the corners of his mouth. Even though she knew he didn't belong at the frat party, he actually fit in pretty well, despite the fact that he wasn't dressed according to the theme, in his black jeans, a tight black t-shirt and a leather jacket.

… _Oh my gods. Sarah is going to flip_ , chuckled Carrie to herself.  _But damn he looks good._

"Yes. Me," he replied casually, "I would ask about your out-of-season clothing choices, however seeing that Hawaiian kitsch seems to be the order of the evening, I assume I would be right in thinking this is one of those frat parties you and Sarah sometimes attend."

"Brilliant deduction, Goblin King," muttered Carrie, looking around sheepishly to make sure no one heard her.

"Hey. He can't be in here, Carrie! Members and invited guests only," yelled Adam, the Alpha Tau president and one of Carrie's best male friends.

"Relax, Adam. This is…. He's um…," Carrie paused, her blue eyes flitting over Jareth as she nibbled her lip. "Um…Sarah's ex, from overseas. He's in town for the week and has been catching up with her."

Carrie breathed a sigh of relief when Adam seemed to buy her story, nodding as he glared at Jareth, his grey eyes projecting a protective air. "So she and her ex are on good enough terms that she'd want him here?"

"Oh, yeah. They only broke up, um… due to…ahh… the distance," lied Carrie, trying to think quickly.

Pursing his lips, Adam surveyed Jareth and Carrie, before nodding. "Okay, but make sure he stays with one of you girls so that none of the brother's gets any ideas of being all heroic and saving her from the evil ex," he warned. "You know half the membership would jump at a chance with her, and if they though being her hero might work, they'd do it."

Laughing, Carrie waved a hand dismissively in Adam's direction, "Honey, haven't you figured it out yet? Sarah and I don't want a hero. We're after the villain – they are always more fun."

Catching Jareth's smug smirk, Carrie blushed. She had momentarily forgotten just who he was to Sarah. Quickly turning, she moved through the crowd, motioning him to follow her.

"Come on. I'll take you to Sarah. Although seeing you might not be a pleasant surprise. When you told her to make other plans, I'm pretty sure she wasn't planning on you showing up at a frat party. Heck. I told her to make this party your date for tonight, but she was adamant that a party like this was not going to be your thing."

Following Carrie into the house, Jareth chuckled. "I find it is best to keep Sarah on her toes. I want to get to know her as she is now, so showing up unexpectedly has benefits. Although, from what I've seen thus far, I can see why you and Sarah find these things so painful," he mused, wrinkling his nose in distaste at the noise-passing-for-music, that a very colorful, if somewhat scantily-clad group of students were dancing to.

Shrugging, Carrie guided Jareth through the throng of party-goers. They wound their way down the stairs, past a group of girls wresting in the wading pool (much to the delight of the rowdy male audience) and into the game room.

"Just don't be surprised if she gets mad," Carrie warned, motioning him to stay near her as she wove her way toward the poker table. "She has been playing cards all evening and winning. She doesn't like being interrupted when she is on a streak."

Coming upon the table from behind Sarah, they heard her mutter and slam her cards down on the table. Carrie cringed, placing her hand out to halt Jareth. "Too late! She has a great lucky streak with games, but gets a bit testy if she loses. Particularly at this version of poker."

"Bloody hell!" snarled Sarah. "I nearly had a Royal Flush in hearts…all I was missing was the freaking king."

"Hah!" laughed Brent, his brown eyes flashing merrily as he crowed his victory. Brent waved his hands in the air triumphantly, while his blue Hawaiian shirt covered in topless hula dancers flapped like a pair of demented, psychedelic wings. "Make your choice, lil sister. Truth, dare or strip?"

Sarah paused, glancing at the pile of clothing sitting next to her. She momentarily contemplated giving up one of the garish Hawaiian shirts, but her perversely cruel inner-voice rather enjoyed seeing Carrie's current fling Brent and their least favorite Alpha Chi sister Angie, left wandering the party in their swimsuits – albeit Brent's board shorts left more to the imagination than Angie's itty-bitty bikini.

"Truth," declared Sarah, her voice firm as she made her choice, tossing her cards toward the dealer, she leaned back in her chair to wait for the question.

"Damn," grinned Brent, winking cheekily at Sarah, "And here I was hoping you'd give up that shirt you are wearing and let us see more of your luscious body."

"In your dreams, bucko. Besides I have more than enough shirts taken off other players, that losing my own shirt wouldn't be a problem ," laughed Sarah, running a manicured hand through her hair and down over the neck of her shirt, dragging the collar of her shirt open over her shoulder and flashing the table a quick glimpse of her creamy skin. "There you go. That is the closest you are going to come to seeing any more of my skin tonight. Hope you enjoyed it."

"I'm sure I'd enjoy any bit of you I got," Brent chuckled, throwing a handful of popcorn at Sarah. "Such a tease for an Ice Princess."

"Believe me Brent, if I wanted to tease you, you'd know it. This is  _nothing_ ," laughed Sarah, her voice light amid the noise pouring from the party room next door. "And I am no Ice Princess. It isn't my fault you haven't got a clue how to  _warm_  me up," Sarah teased. "For the right person, I assure you I'd be hot enough that volcanoes would be jealous."

Jareth's pale eyes narrowed at the playful banter that flew between Brent and Sarah. She had said she wasn't involved with anyone, but the intimacy of the teasing disturbed him, more than he would care to admit.

 _Who is he to speak to her that way?_  grumbled his inner-voice.

 _Forget him,_  demanded Jareth's libido,  _If she wanted help getting warmed up, all she had to do was ask!_

The truth of the matter was that listening to Sarah teasing Brent with her flirtatious behavior was having multiple effects upon Jareth, not the least of which was a sudden burst of desire. As much as he detested seeing her flirt with another, he wanted her to direct that kind of attention his way, knowing that beneath most flirting was a kernel of truth.

"Forgive me Madame Ice  _Queen_ ,"grinned Brent, smiling and waving at Carrie. "As to your question… in consultation with my fellow players who have been losing clothing and deep dark secrets to you all evening, we want to know the name of the first person you had a sexual fantasy about, and what it was."

Sarah frowned. While the 'truth' questions frequently involved sex or other intimate topics, this was not the question she had expected, nor was it one that she really wanted to share. She considered things a moment and then shrugged.

 _Jareth is dealing with a runner, so why worry,_ suggested her libido, being rather fond of the first memorable fantasy Sarah ever had – particularly since it remained one of her favorites.

"Fine…he isn't here, so there is no harm done," Sarah began. "His name was Jareth…I was 15, he was older….and it is still one of my favorite fantasies…."

Jareth's eyes flashed brightly at her answer, his thin lips twisting into a self-satisfied smirk. To find out that she had fantasized about him was almost too much to hope for.

… _Now_ _ **that**_ _is an unexpected, but highly pleasing tidbit of information,_ he thought.

 _Almost enough to make enduring this ridiculous party bearable._ Snarked his inner-voice.

…  _Indeed._   _Perhaps, she might grant my wish after all._

Hearing Sarah's answer, Carrie felt her stomach flip knowing that Sarah was about to tell Jareth her deepest and most treasured fantasy, and not even realize it. As a best friend, it was her duty to stop things before Sarah was more embarrassed than she would be now.

"Sarah…" she shouted in order to be heard over the din, "You'll  _ **never guess**_  who just arrived looking for you!"

Turning to look over her shoulder at Carrie, Sarah frowned in confusion. "Came here? For me? But no one knows where I am."

Then she saw Jareth, and her heart seemed to stop.

It was the longest heartbeat of her life. He was standing just behind Carrie, looking at her with those mismatched eyes that seemed to be daring her to make a scene, while holding her gaze in their hypnotic depths.

"Oh. Fuck. Me," she muttered under her breath.

With an impish grin, Jareth leaned toward her, his voice a quiet, sultry purr. "Say your right words and that could be arranged, Sarah."

Sarah trembled at the heat of his breath against her cheek, her response unnoticed by all but him. She wasn't completely sure if her stomach lurched at the fact that he was here at the party, or the sinfully sexy way he looked decked out head to toe in black. Or maybe it was the fact that he had heard her clearly admit that he was the object of her first sexual fantasy. Then again, it could have been the very blatant declaration of intent he just gave. Whatever it was, her stomach didn't have a meek little flock of butterflies in it. No, it had a flock of pterodactyls swooping around attacking her from within.

"Jareth….," she gasped, feeling the color drain from her face at the amused look on his face, while at the same time feeling her body burn hot, as if she had a fire raging inside. "You…you're here."

 _That fire you feel is called 'lust',_  quipped her libido.  _The only cure is to act upon it and you are in luck. Jareth just accepted your invitation and seems more than willing, and I'd wager more than a little bit able, to fulfill the requirements of the invite. So what are you waiting for?_

…  _You really aren't helping_ , she moaned inwardly.  _And that wasn't an invitation._

 _What makes you think I'm trying to help? I'd just like to point out that he can't help you live out your favorite fantasy if he doesn't know what it is. So why not finish admitting the fantasy?_  - Continued her libido as it began a somewhat lewd and suggestive dance while clinging to a pole that had spontaneously appeared in Sarah's mind – much to her inner-voice's dismay.  _Besides, perception is nine-tenths of the law…or something like that. If he saw it as an invitation, who are we to argue?_

"Yes, here I am," chuckled Jareth, reaching out to pluck at a curl that lay loose over her shoulder, all the while enjoying the delightful way she blushed at the gesture. "And judging by what I just heard, my timing is impeccable," he drawled with a knowing smirk.

Sarah groaned. Turning back to the table, she slouched down in her chair as if trying to hide.

"YOU, are Jareth?" laughed Brent, sizing Jareth up with a grin.  _Well, if he is her type, that explains why she hasn't looked twice at any of the guys on campus,_  he thought with a chuckle. Looking at Sarah he continued, " _This_  is the guy your first sexual fantasy was about? Oh, fuck. This will be good. Out with it lil sis. This is one fantasy I think we  _all_  want to hear about."

If it were possible, Sarah seemed to shrink even further into her chair. She was so far down in the chair that she didn't realize Jareth had come even nearer, until he casually sat on the arm of the chair and looked down at her.

"It seems I have interrupted quite an  _interesting_  game, Sarah Precious. Do tell. What game  _are_  you playing?"

Seeing that Sarah wasn't likely to answer, Carrie piped up, laughter lacing her explanation as she looked at Sarah's bowed head, her friend's hair barely hiding the crimson blush that stained her cheeks.

"They are playing Truth, Dare or Strip Poker. Basically, if you lose a hand of cards, you have to take off a piece of clothing, tell an embarrassing truth or take a dare. She lost the last hand and chose truth," explained Carrie, moving to perch on the arm of Brent's chair, her pale eyes flashing merrily.  _This party just got_ _ **much**_ _more interesting_ , she thought with a grin.

Reaching out, Jareth tucked errant tendrils behind Sarah's ear, effectively removing the only thing hiding her flushed face. Sarah trembled at the light caress, eliciting a dark chuckle from Jareth, who ran his finger along her jaw just to watch her shiver again.

"In that case, I would hate to distract you from your game, Precious. You know how much I  _love_  games, and I  _am_  a stickler for the rules. No need to forfeit on my account, Sarah. So why don't you just share your… _fantasy_  with us," he drawled, his mismatched eyes darkening with impish glee at Sarah's obvious discomfort.

Sarah ran her hand pensively through her hair, considering her options. Answering the question was definitely not an option, at least not with Jareth there. And according to the rules (such that they were) once you opted not to strip, your only choices were truth or dare.

"I changed my mind. Give me the dare," she muttered, straightening up in her chair, her emerald eyes glinting sharply in the dim light as she made up her mind.

Jareth laughed, the sound a baritone rumble that seemed to climb inside Sarah's chest and make itself at home in her belly.

"Giving up so soon, Sarah?" he asked with a smug smirk. "Where is the girl I knew who would face down any challenge? What is it that you liked to say? Ah… I remember…is this not a 'piece of cake'?"

Peering up at Jareth, Sarah's jaw twitched as she tried to think of a cutting answer, and failed. Sarah glared at Jareth, her eyes flashing brightly while her libido proceeded to make lewd suggestions for what it would like to do to him, suggestions that her physical body seemed to agree with, judging from the flash of warm heat that spread through her middle and down into her legs.

Having watched Sarah's reaction to Jareth's arrival and teasing, Brent began to get the feeling that there was more between Sarah and this Jareth person than he had heard on the Greek grapevine. He had seen the two of them at Darcy's bar on Thursday night, and had witnessed the way she let him suck on her fingers. For ex-es, they seemed friendly.  _Very_  friendly. Yet for some reason, she didn't want this guy to hear about her fantasy about him. It was all very odd. All the more reason to push her to the brink, as far as Brent was concerned, and the dare he was about to give her should do just that.

Brent grabbed a nearby pledge carrying a tray of drinks and whispered in his ear, watching with a mischievous grin as the pledge ran out of the room in a hurry.

"Well… what is the dare?" demanded Sarah testily. She was at war with herself and the impending dare and likely suggestive nature of it (since that is what dares typically involved) had her unnerved, particularly since Jareth was there. In the meantime, her libido was enthusiastically calling for Sarah to tell her fantasy in the hopes that Jareth would fulfill it, something that his blatantly sexual response to her earlier comment suggested was highly likely.

 _Who are you kidding? If he knew the fantasy, he'd probably glitter-poof your ass straight to his castle and spend the rest of the night fulfilling it in every way possible. And probably a few that defied time, space and the laws of the universe!_  Pleaded her libido, with a gratuitous mental image of what a naked Jareth might look like – which even her inner-self had to admit was a rather 'striking' image – the equivalent of anyone else saying "drop-dead-screw-me-six-ways-to-Sunday-to-die-for" (her inner-self was always a bit understated when assessing things that didn't have to do with Sarah herself).

… _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!_  She thought, her mind whirling frantically.  _Why did he have to show up now of all times?_

Her inner-voice merely shrugged, for once being out of ideas, while her libido just beamed smugly and ogled at the way Jareth's shirt hinted at the lightly muscled chest that lay beneath the thin material and begged Sarah to ignore the dare and run her hands over his chest. Sarah fisted her hands in her grass skirt, fronds of grass twining between them as she struggled to retain what little bit of her composure (and dignity) remained, knowing it was only a matter of time before they both came undone – probably about the time that Brent let her in on the dare.

When she saw the pledge return with a bunch of bananas, she knew she had been right about that. Composure and dignity were about to take a flying leap straight out the window, followed closely by any sense of propriety and inhibition.

Sarah's eyes flashed angrily at Brent as he gave her his best frat boy grin.

… _They must take the brothers aside after initiation and teach them that damnably smug grin,_  she thought wryly wishing she could slap him and effectively wipe the smirk from his face.

The pledge set the bunch of bananas in front of Brent, who began to pick through them as if looking for something. Sarah groaned, having a sneaking suspicion what was coming next.

Jareth watched the interaction with some confusion, carefully hidden behind an amused smirk. Whatever was happening, Sarah seemed almost as embarrassed by the prospect as she had been when she found out he was here for her admission about her first fantasy. As far as he was concerned, the evening was already an unqualified success.

Finally satisfied, Brent selected a banana and held it out to Sarah. "Deep-throat one banana, tip to tip. That is the dare."

"You have  _got_  to be kidding," grumbled Sarah, rubbing the bridge of her nose in order to avoid seeing the wicked smirk she was somehow sure was on Jareth's face.

Angela laughed with wicked glee, the sound brittle and sharp amidst the relaxed atmosphere of the game room. She eyed Jareth hungrily, wondering why on earth he seemed so interested in Williams, who was just a cold fish.

"You might as well give up now, Sarah. You're too much of a prude to even consider something like that, besides, there is no way you could manage it. Even those of us with more  _experience_ ," she purred, looking at Jareth with a sultry hum, "would have difficulty."

Looking up, Sarah saw the way Angela was speaking to her, but trying to entice Jareth and she got mad. Sarah glared at Angela, her emerald eyes flashing dangerously, "Care to put your money where  _my_  mouth is, Ang?"

"You're on, Williams," countered Angela, her features pinched as she frowned at the other woman. "Twenty dollars says you can't do it. And you know the penalty – if you fail at the dare, you have to answer the truth anyway."

Reaching into her shirt pocket, Sarah pulled out her emergency taxi money and slammed the bill onto the table. "Done!"

"I want some of that action," laughed Carrie, leaning over and dropping another twenty dollar bill onto the growing pile. "Twenty on Sarah."

Before long, there was a lively betting pool being organized with most wagers coming out against Sarah. As a result, the crowd around the table grew…and grew - a fact that was not lost on Sarah as she surveyed the growing group of spectators.

… _OH my God…this is getting out of hand,_  she moaned to herself.  _What if I can't do this?_

 _Don't sweat it. Give them a show. You know you can do this, and it won't hurt to let Jareth know just how talented you could be given the right motivation,_  purred her libido, attempting to be reassuring and failing miserably.

…  _Is it too late to renege on the game as a whole,_  she wondered miserably, peering around the room to see that the audience was, naturally enough, mostly male.

Sarah thought she was as mortified as she could get, and then Jareth leaned forward, betting fifty on Sarah.

"Do you even know what I have been dared to do?" she hissed at him, her eyes shining darkly as she glared at him reproachfully.

Jarth looked down at her slouched form, a supercilious smirk tugging at his lips. "While the terminology is not what we use at home, and I have never seen it demonstrated on fruit, I am pretty sure I understand the gist of things," he chuckled with a wink.

"And yet you put money on me?"

"Of course, Precious," he said with a hungry smile. Jareth leaned over her until his lips pressed near her ear. Sarah could feel the heat of his breath washing along her cheek as he whispered, "Besides, I have great faith in just how talented your lovely lips could be, Dearest"

Sarah's heart beat a frantic rhythm, as it attempted to escape her chest by force.

 _He wants you!_  Squealed her libido, before melting into a puddle of lust-ridden goo.

… _Gah!_  was all Sarah could think at the increasingly blatant sexual comments directed at her by her (former) fairytale villain, who apparently wanted to be more than that. Much. More.

 _Although still somewhat dark and villainous_ , cooed her libido before being lost once more to the hormonal haze that seemed to plague it whenever Jareth was around.

Seeing the crowd that had joined them, Brent stood and took Sarah's hand, hauling her to her feet. "Sorry Sarah, but the natives are restless and want to see the show. You're going to have to get up high so they can see," he winked, patting the top of the table.

Sarah glanced quickly at Jareth, feeling her face burn at the heated look he gave her, his eyes visibly dark with something she was afraid to name. Then she felt Carrie press a shot glass into her hand, before giving her shoulder a squeeze.

"A little liquid courage," whispered Carrie. "You can do this."

Sarah gave Carrie a weak smile, before downing the shot, coughing as the liquid burned a path down her throat. "Holy shit!" gasped Sarah. "What was that? Lighter fluid?"

"What does it matter, so long as it loosens you up to complete the dare?" giggled Carrie.

Shrugging off her shirt to free up her arms, Sarah took Brent's offered hand and hopped up on top of the table. Jareth watched her intently, drinking in the sight of her bikini-clad form, the deep green suit leaving much of her creamy torso exposed, while the grass fronds of her hula-skirt parted just enough to offer a tantalizing glimpse of her legs as she stood on the table.

… _I would rather her be in a state of undress for my viewing alone,_  he growled inwardly.

 _Nude would be even better,_  countered libido.

… _Infinitely better._

Meanwhile, Sarah was lost in her own thoughts.

 _Might as well play this up for all it is worth, suggested_  her inner-self resignedly.  _If you are going to make a spectacle of yourself, at least make the show a good one._

Her libido nodded in agreement, urging Sarah to throw propriety out the window. Seeing as how both her libido and inner-voice were in agreement for once, Sarah decided to follow their advice and try to have fun with what could either be a horrifically humiliating experience, or a grand show of power.

… _Please let it be power,_  she moaned to her herself.

When the music on the stereo was changed from the slow song to a raunchy bump'n'grind number, Sarah put on her best seductive smirk and began to dance on the tabletop as she slowly began to peel the banana. She blushed and starting to laugh at the lewd catcalls and suggestions the audience was calling out. Once the banana was peeled, Sarah hesitated, swallowing hard as she tried to slow her breathing down. Shutting her eyes, she opened her mouth and gradually slid the banana in. Reaching the back of her throat she coughed slightly, stretched her jaw and arched her head upward, then swallowed. She repeated the procedure three more times before the far end slipped past her teeth. Shutting her mouth, Sarah raised both hands above her head to show that she was no longer holding on to the banana, loud applause signaling the approval of the audience.

Seeing Jareth's face out of the corner of her eye, Sarah flushed hotly, the pink blush creeping from her hairline down to dive between her breasts. Judging from the bright gleam in his mismatched eyes and the sultry smirk he was giving her, he approved of her display. Sarah wrapped her lips tightly around the banana as she began to pull it from her mouth, giggling at the renewed fervor of the catcalls and comments that greeted this action.

… _Might as well give the punters what they want,_  she laughed to herself.

Brent whistled as she pulled the last bit from her mouth, before shouting to the crowd, "And not a tooth mark in sight!"

Raucous applause shook the room.

Holding the banana in her finger tips, Sarah looked pointedly at Brent, before sliding it halfway into her mouth and with a slow and deliberate movement, bit sharply into it.

The guys in the crowd groaned and flinched as one.

"Cruel, Sarah. Very cruel," muttered Brent, grinning broadly as he helped her down from the table and handed over her winnings.

"You have no idea how cruel I can be," she purred, turning to split the money with Carrie and Jareth.

She felt the heat of Jareth's body against her back before she heard him, his lips pressing against her ear as he spoke. "Very impressive, Precious. You have become a woman of many and varied talents. Had I but known of your… _skills_ …I would have negotiated for a very different outcome to our earlier bargain," he drawled, the timbre of his voice making Sarah blush and shiver simultaneously.

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 **Author's Note:**  Yes…the frat party extends to two chapters as it was getting far too long. Also, it is based off a real party I once attended. The banana trick can be done and is a great party trick (makes a great ice-breaker for meeting guys too…not that I would know anything about that *ahem*)

 


	6. 1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila, FLOOR!

**Chapter 6: 1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila FLOOR!**

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**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. I just let them run freely in my brain and tell me stories. If I did own Jareth, well…..I wouldn't share him for starters!

 **Warning:**  This chapter is full of UST…. And lots of lemon peel. I mean, TONS of the stuff. Oh yeah…and a bit of Sarah's potty-mouth.

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 **Author's Note:** I live for reviews…no seriously. I do. Please tell me what bits you like and such, it makes my day and makes me want to write faster so I can post more. :)

Only 4 chapters left (or so).

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**Ch. 6: 1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila – FLOOR!**

After her banana display, Sarah was something of a celebrity at the party. Between the start of her dare and the end, she was suddenly a hot-commodity amongst the fraternity brothers in attendance – much to Jareth's increasing annoyance.

" _Sarah, can I get you a drink?"_

" _Sarah, have you eaten yet? I'd be happy to run to the grill for you."_

" _Sarah, want to dance?"_

" _Sarah, come in the hot tub with me."_

It wasn't until Jackson Cooper fell on his knees in front of her, begging her to marry him that Jareth had finally had enough. He (somewhat rashly, according his rather stunned inner-voice) spun Sarah against his chest, his slender fingers tilting her face upward, before kissing in such a way that made the males in the room bristle as one, while the women felt a sharp pang of desire.

 _A rather primitive way of staking your claim, mate,_  quipped his libido.  _But it is a far cry from beating her over the head with a club in the ancient human fashion. Although I rather support the idea of dragging her back to the castle as a show of possession._

…  _I highly doubt Sarah would see things that way, about either the dragging back to the castle_ _ **or**_ _her being my possession. That said, there are parts of her that I would very much like to possess – the sooner the better,_  he replied.

Gasping breathlessly, Sarah looked at him with dazed green eyes as he broke the kiss, "What was that for?"

"Do I need a reason?" came the teasing reply as his hands lightly caressed her exposed back. Jareth leaned in close, flicking her earlobe with his warm tongue, making her jump and gasp, before she got control of herself. "And before you ask, that was not my kiss for the bargain. I'll let you know before I claim that one."

Sarah frowned, her emerald eyes flashing as she looked at him, while her libido squealed with delight.

"You're cheating. I'm sure of it," she whispered, her rasping voice betraying the flare of lust that roared through her at his words, his kiss and most of all, his touch.

… _Seriously, my body has declared mutiny in favor of jumping Jareth_.

With a wicked smirk, Jareth nipped her earlobe with his sharp teeth, "I'd like to see you prove that claim, Precious." All the while his inner-self and libido were in utter shock that she hadn't argued that he needed a reason to kiss her, clearly she was either too flustered to think straight or didn't mind him kissing her – either way, Jareth saw it as progress.

Coming up to them, Brent grinned, slipping his arm casually around Carrie's waist. "Seeing as how you two 'ex-es' seem to be on  _very_ friendly terms, why don't you partner up for the next game. We'll be starting at 10pm sharp," he said with a wink. "Oh…and I'd suggest grabbing something to eat in the meantime – you're going to need it."

Unable to turn down an invitation to play any game, Jareth nodded, his hands tracing lazy circles on Sarah's bared back. "We'd be delighted," he replied, smiling at Carrie over the top of Sarah's head.

Hearing that, Sarah groaned and shook her head. "Just as well that you seem to have no problems with public displays of affection," she muttered as she ducked from his arms to tug her hideously ugly Hawaiian shirt back over her shoulders.

"Public displays of affection?" asked Jareth, raising an eyebrow suspiciously as he looked from Sarah to Carrie and Brent. "Just how does one win this next game?"

Brent laughed as he grinned broadly at Jareth, the guy may have a way with Sarah, but he clearly didn't know jack about frat parties.

"Well, winning the game and the ultimate purpose of playing are two entirely different things. In order to win you have to be the last couple still in the game," Brent explained. "Couples get eliminated if one partner gets sick, passes out or either partner forfeits a turn because they are uncomfortable with things or want to take their partner someplace private. However, the point of the game is to get to know your partner,  _very_ , very well. Basically, think of the purpose as extended, alcohol-fueled, public foreplay."

Surprising Jareth with her speed and ferocity, Sarah lashed out, punching Brent hard on the arm. "What would  _you_  know about foreplay, Brent?" she teased. "According to various girls we both know,  _you_  wouldn't know foreplay if it jumped up and bit you on the ass."

"Cruel, Williams!" laughed Brent. "Maybe I need more practice…Are you volunteering to partner me?"

Raising her arm to punch him again, Sarah paused, her green eyes flicking upward toward Jareth's bemused expression.

"It will be a cold day in Hell," she laughed Sarah, dropping her arm back to her side.

"Besides, you can't tell me my description isn't right. A 'Body Shot Battle' really is just public foreplay – when played right at least."

Sarah nibbled her lower lip as she considered this. He did have a point.

"No…I can't deny it. The last round of body shots I watched had three couples drop out and head for private rooms before the third round finished," she mused. Seeing Jareth's eyes narrow at her explanation, she laughed, "Things got a bit heated and they decided they needed to go further than allowed in public spaces," she explained, watching the understanding dawn in his eyes.

Frowning slightly, Jareth muttered. "I am still not sure about the allure of these fraternity parties if these are the types of games that are played. And you regularly participate in these things, Sarah?" he asked, his arms snaking around her possessively.

With a light laugh, Sarah impulsively stretched up and kissed his cheek, blushing at the feral way he looked at her. "The parties, yes. The games, no. However for you I'll make an exception."

 _Yeah, since you don't want to run the risk that someone else will volunteer to be his partner for the body shots!_  Muttered her inner-voice, feeling a bit cranky by the very idea of engaging in a body shot battle with anyone, much less Jareth. Her libido on the other hand was apoplectic over the idea of doing body shots with Jareth. Publically or privately didn't matter, all that mattered was the idea of his lips on her body and vice-versa.

Winking at Sarah, Brent grinned at Jareth once more as he led Carrie toward the kitchen for food, "Dude, our motto around here is play hard or go home. We take our games just like we take everything else, hard, fast and steamy. If you can get the Ice Queen here to play and even better to show a little heat, you're welcome to come party at our house anytime."

Wrapping his arms firmly around Sarah, Jareth purred in her ear, "Oh…I think I can warm her up sufficiently."

"Oh fuck," Sarah gasped, blushing when she realized she had said it out loud.

Jareth leaned back and looked at her with a wicked smirk, his voice a sultry murmur that make Sarah's body erupt in a mass of electric tingles. "If you insist on repeatedly making that invitation, Precious, don't be surprised when I take you up on it."

… _Gah!_  she groaned inwardly, while her libido streaked joyfully through the dark corners of her mind, rousting every naughty fantasy she had ever had about Jareth and letting them know that they just might finally be coming true.

* * *

Sarah had hoped that all memory of her near miss fantasy admission had been long forgotten thanks to the success of her dare. Sadly, it hadn't been, as evidenced by the continued teasing and questions she suffered while the four of them were eating. Even more frustrating was the fact that she was trapped in a corner of the sectional couch in the game room with Jareth on one side, Brent on the other and Carrie lounging on the footstool in front of her – the three of them taking it in turns to randomly ask, "So, what was the fantasy, Sarah."

… _As if I'd be silly enough to fall for_ _ **that**_ _,_  she grumbled inwardly, after kicking Carrie for trying to slip the question into a discussion about the merits of eating lots of bread before engaging in a body shots battle.

"Come now, Sarah Dearest, you're amongst friends," teased Jareth, his mismatched eyes flickering impishly in the dim light of the room. "I for one am  _quite_  interested to hear what the fantasy might be. It wouldn't involve peaches by any chance would it? Hmmm?"

At the mention of peaches, Sarah launched herself off the couch, stammering something that sounded suspiciously like, "uroom, ow!" as she shoved through the throng of people and left the room.

"I think we've gone too far. I'll go smooth everything over. Save our seats," Carrie laughed and followed Sarah from the room.

After the girls left the room, Brent grinned at Jareth. "Just as well they've gone, I wanted to talk to you privately before the next game begins," he said, his pale eyes watching Jareth's reactions carefully. Pleased when the other man merely nodded, Brent continued, "Sarah is a good friend of mine. She doesn't date frat guys, hell, she doesn't date anyone more than once - although having met you, I can see why that is. But that doesn't mean I want to see her hurt. You get my drift?"

… _How does she do it?_  Jareth wondered, listening to Brent's not-so-subtle threat.  _How does she instill such loyalty in so many people._

"Yes, I am quite aware of what you are saying," Jareth replied, his voice quiet and cold, yet cutting clearly through the noise of the room. "And I assure you, hurting Sarah is not part of my agenda. On the contrary, I have every intention of making her mine, once and for all."

With a sly smirk, Brent nodded. "Just what I wanted to hear, and I think I can help you out with your overall plan."

Jareth's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the youth sitting near him. The idea that this young man might somehow be able to help the mighty Goblin King secure his choice of bride seemed ludicrous.

 _Well, you haven't done very well on your own, as yet,_  snarked his inner-voice with an indignant sniff.

…  _Need I remind you,_ _ **she**_ _kissed_ _ **me**_ _,_ _willingly and of her own accord. Progress is being made toward my goal and as I've already learned, Sarah is not to be rushed._

Turning his attention back to Brent, he nodded with a pensive smile. "Do continue."

"Well… with the body shot battle, you have to ask yourself, do you want to win the game or the girl. Winning the game can be great, but for us guys, the ultimate goal when playing with someone we want to get close to, is to take advantage of the terms of the game. Basically, do you want to win or drive her crazy enough that she wants to forfeit the game just to drag you someplace private," explained Brent, his blue eyes washing over the crowd of people.

Considering this, Jareth frowned. "Just what does the game involve anyway?"

"Oh man! You agreed to the game and didn't know what you had to do?" snorted Brent with a laugh. "You're brave, dude. When your turn comes in each round, you'll draw a card that will have a body part on it. You lick that part of your partner's body then sprinkle salt or sugar on it, depending on your preference. Then you lick the salt or sugar from them, down your shot and suck on a piece of fruit. If your partner is willing, they might even hold the fruit in their own mouth, which makes the game more fun."

Brent chuckled when he saw the mischievous light flare in Jareth's eyes.  _Now he gets it_ , he thought with a laugh.

"So you see, if you play the game correctly, it is the perfect opportunity to watch your partner squirm. Winning the game is never really the object, but the girls don't seem to understand that for some reason."

Seeing Sarah and Carrie fighting their way back toward the couch, he nodded at Jareth. "Look man, they are coming back. I have every intention of driving Carrie into forfeiting the game. If you're smart you'll make that the goal rather than being the last man standing."

As the girls pushed their way back through the crowd, Sarah noticed Brent and Jareth seemed to be deep in conversation and something about that unnerved her greatly. Rather than resuming her seat between Brent and Jareth, Sarah perched on the footstool next to Carrie, she needn't have worried as Brent got up from the couch and climbed onto the bar in the corner of the room. Placing his fingers in his mouth he blew a shrill whistle, quieting the noise.

"All couples for the Body Shot Battle should gather around the table in the center of the room now. The first round will begin in five minutes," he shouted, before hopping off the bar and leading Carrie to the table.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Sarah as Jareth rose, holding his hand out to help her up.

"What's the matter, Sarah? Having second thoughts?" he chuckled, his hand grazing her bare hip as his arm slid around her.

"Well…no. Not really. But you should know that we'll never win. I don't handle shots well," she replied, flipping her hair over her shoulder, where it fell in a pool of brunette waves down her back.

"Who says I want to win the game," Jareth answered cryptically. "I have every intention of driving you to forfeit."

Sarah's eyes flashed defiantly at him.  _So that is the game he wants to play, huh?_ She thought to herself, while her libido did such an impressive shimmy of absolute lust that Sarah feared it wouldn't take much to drive away what little self-control she had where Jareth was concerned.  _Well, two can play this_ game, she mused as an impish smile spread across her face.

"Not if I drive you to forfeit first," she purred breathily, pressing her body against his as she moved past him, the low growl in his throat letting her know that her slow and deliberate movements were having the desired effect.

Her comment was greeted with a raised eyebrow and a feral smirk, as Jareth's fingers lightly caressed her bare flesh, making her skin burn where his hands touched. "Care to place a little wager to make things interesting?" he asked, his eyes darkening as he peered at her, noticing the way she shivered under his gaze. "First one to forfeit grants the winner a wish."

Sarah's frown said it all – quite clearly according to Jareth's all-too-rational inner-voice.

"If you think I'd agree to those vague terms, you've been wearing your trousers too tight and it has obviously cut off circulation to your brain – both of them!" she hissed, the breathy quality of her voice disappearing, only to be replaced with icy tendrils of distrust.

Throwing back his head, Jareth laughed, the sound bouncing merrily around the room despite the din.

"You're learning, Dearest," he crooned soothingly in her ear, while his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to him. He chuckled as her eyes fluttered closed, the feeling of her heart pounding in her chest reverberating against his own. "So what would you suggest to solve the problem of vague terms?"

Pursing her lips in thought, Sarah considered this. She knew it was a dangerous game she was playing by making wagers with Jareth, but part of her thrilled at it – mostly the part of her that wanted to drag him to the nearest private room and run her hands over his chest, through is hair and….well….lots of other things that made her inner-voice nervous and her libido speechless with lust-riddled joy.

"Wishes must be able to be fulfilled without leaving campus and they have to be made before midnight on Halloween," she began, poking his chest with a manicured fingernail as she made her terms clear. "And they must be reasonable. No wishing for something you know the other person absolutely doesn't want to do or can't grant," she said, pausing a moment and thinking over her response to make sure she didn't leave the tricky Fae king any loopholes like she did last time. Pleased that her terms were as airtight as she could get them, she nodded. "Those are the terms."

Jareth tapped his fingers lightly against his lips as he thought about her terms, before smiling at her, his sharp teeth framed by thin lips that twisted upward in a devilish grin. "Deal, Precious."

* * *

… _Oh Gods…be strong Sarah…strong…will as strong…power as great….oh Gods, his tongue…._  Sarah moaned inwardly as a breathy moan escaped her lips while Jareth prepared to take his next shot.  _And this is only the second round! I'm so screwed._

 _Yup…I certainly hope so and if Jareth's body languge is any indication, that is his intent as well. Huzzah!_  Yelped her libido, as another wave of volcanic lava surged to life in Sarah's belly.

Sarah had only ever watched one Body Shot Battle. After seeing the hormone and alcohol fueled mayhem, she swore  _never_ to actually participate in one. Yet, here she was. Not only was she participating, but she was doing so with the Goblin King, her childhood villain and fantasy lover. And she had a bet riding on it! One she really didn't want to lose, as she was pretty sure that if he won his wish was going to involve much nakedness, lots of writhing and most likely, a peach or two.

 _What's a little food fetish amongst lovers?_ Cooed her libido with a sultry wink, as her inner-voice had long ago given up trying to restrain the glitter-pated, hormone riddled, ball of lust.

… _We are_ _ **not**_ _lovers…_

 _The night is still young. Give it time._  Drooled her libido, waggling its eyebrows suggestively at her.

The first round of the game was easy, everyone started with the same body part – the wrist. Sarah licked Jareth's wrist from wrist bone to wrist bone, earning a sardonic smirk from the Goblin King. For the first round, she was okay with that. She should have realized however, that he would cheat, especially with a wish up for grabs. Instead of going from bone to bone like everyone else around the table,  _he_  had turned her hand over, lightly kissed her palm and then run his tongue up the center of her forearm, from the edge of her palm clear to the soft flesh of her inner-elbow. The feeling of his tongue dragging along her skin was like velvet… moist, heated velvet being pulled with agonizing slowness up her arm.

 _Oh Gods! If that is what a simple lick of my arm feels like, imagine what his tongue would feel like on other, more sensitive parts,_  she whimpered to herself, as flashes of her most recent, peach-riddled dream danced in her head, striking her libido momentarily speechless, before it abruptly found its voice and began to plead (again) for Sarah to forfeit immediately and beg Jareth to glitter-poof them somewhere,  _anywhere_  private –  _An oubliette with a BIG bed would be perfect!_

After Jareth took his first shot, Sarah thought at first that the other girls had gasped, then she realized with something akin to fascinated horror that the noise had come from her own treacherous lips.

… _I am so going to lose this bet_ , she thought wryly as she watched him grin at her like she was a Christmas present that he was dying to unwrap – with his sharp teeth!

 _Yup. Isn't it great?_  Chirped her libido, already imagining what it would be like to have Jareth lick her from head to toe, paying particular attention to certain anatomical bits located in between the two.

… _Something tells me that if I lose this bet, it won't be Jareth doing the licking,_  she muttered to herself. Her libido, who had not considered this part of the wager, collapsed in a spastic puddle of absolute desire at the very idea of  _having_  to lick Jareth's, muscled, smooth, and oh so scrumptious body.

 _Y'know…I rather think that whether we win or lose, someone is going to end up naked,_  mused her libido.

… _Gee…ya think?_ Sarah snarked to herself.

 _Now stop talking to me and concentrate on that definitely willing and absolutely-without-a-doubt-able specimen of sex on two legs that is preparing to run his gloriously sensual tongue over your body - again,_  demanded her libido as it watched Jareth pick a card from the deck.

* * *

"Chest," purred Jareth with a wicked chuckle, unable to stop the smug smirk that teased his lips at the blush that crept so enticingly up Sarah's chest and across her cheeks.

With a mock growl, his slender fingers gripped her waist, turning her to face him as he decided how best to use this turn to drive the need that poured off her in waves, higher. Smirking he leaned in close to her, his head dipping low as his tongue flicked lightly at the top of the valley between her breasts, making her shiver, her hands reflexively coming up to grip his shoulders as her knees wobbled in response. Jareth gripped her tighter against him, steadying her against the edge of the table, before lightly sprinkling sugar down her cleavage. His mismatched eyes flickered with devilish promise as he looked into her flushed face, pleased with the glazed look she gave him. Jareth took the shot glass held out to him by Carrie, and placed his lime so that it was gently cradled in her cleavage.

He was ready to take his turn.

Jareth pulled her hips against his with one hand, his head once more dipping low over her while his tongue dove deep between her breasts, pressing flat against her chest wall as he lapped at the sugar. He smiled against her skin as her fingers tightened, gripping his shoulders almost painfully. Jareth proceeded to drag his tongue up from her cleavage, stopping at the base of her throat where he could feel her pulse fluttering under the skin, before downing his drink. A throaty purr rumbled from his throat as Sarah shivered when his lips met her flesh once more, grazing her skin as he sucked the lime into his mouth.

Releasing his grip on her waist, Jareth saw her wobble, his hand quickly finding her elbow as his thigh slid between hers, pressing her against the table for support. Jareth chuckled at Sarah's unconscious reaction to his touch. She had not stipulated that he couldn't use magic in their wager, but judging from the way she responded so readily to him, it wouldn't be needed.

"Hmm… having problems staying upright, Precious?" he drawled with a wicked smile, his voice gliding across her sensitive skin like a caress. "Perhaps you should give in and forfeit already?"

Biting back a moan, Sarah's eyes narrowed as she finally found her voice, "No chance, Jareth."

"Such a pity," he purred, his lips grazing her ear as he whispered, "I can keep this up all night."

"Bring it on," was her cool reply.

* * *

 _Get control of yourself woman!_ Ordered her inner-voice sternly, glaring menacingly at her libido who was gawping in a decidedly goldfish-like manner at Jareth's lips.  _Do you really want to find out what his wish would be?_

 _YES!_ Screamed her libido with such enthusiasm that Sarah winced, then blushed.  _PLEASE!_

Clearing her throat, Sarah flashed Jareth a sex kitten smirk, while wriggling wantonly against his thigh as it pressed between hers. She peered at him beneath hooded eyes, her tongue lightly flicking over her lips as she reached for a card. Then Sarah laughed, the sound a low hum of delight.

"Stomach," she drawled, with a sly wink at Carrie.

Grabbing Jareth's hand, she placed a peach slice between his fingers, her actions greeted with a questioning look from him. Ordinarily she detested peaches, but in this instance she figured it might be just the type of leverage she needed. Blowing him a kiss in answer, Sarah grabbed a salt-shaker in one hand, before pressing her body against his, molding herself to his length. Her free hand found its way to his shoulder as she stretched up, nipping his bottom lip playfully. She grinned mischievously at the low groan that slipped past his lips.

"Still want to play, Jareth?" she cooed, giving a lascivious shimmy against his body.

For once his libido was at war with itself, torn between forfeiting then poofing her into his bed (with or without her willing consent), and wanting to retain control in order to make her lose the bet. It was only by imagining Hoggle in Sarah's bikini that he was able to squelch the intense desire to drag her away, his voice hoarse as he replied, "With you, Precious? Forever."

"Hmm…not long at all then." With a sultry chuckle Sarah, inclined her head, her tongue flicking out to lick his lips. "I had hoped you would say that," she breathed.

With agonizing slowness, Sarah sunk toward the floor, her supple body never breaking contact with his, dragging slowly down his body. As her hand slid down his chest she gently dug her nails in, raking them along the muscles and over a nipple. A wicked purr erupting from her throat as she felt his breath catch at the rough caress. When her hand reached his waist, she raked her nails along his lower stomach until they reached his hip. Fisting his shirt in her hands, she tugged it from the waist of his jeans, rolling it up to his chest.

 _Showtime,_  giggled her libido, drooling over the sight of Jareth's pale flesh and wanting nothing more than to see more of what was hidden beneath the tight jeans.

… _Hey…shut the hell up,_  Sarah admonished.  _We are trying to make_ _ **him**_ _forfeit. Not me!_

 _As long as Jareth ends up naked, I don't give a damn WHO wins!_  Moaned her libido fervently.

Sarah had to admit that at this particular moment in time, she was inclined to agree with her libido.

* * *

Looking down, Jareth's heart thudded forcefully in his chest at the sight of Sarah kneeling at his feet, the chocolate colored tresses at perfect hand height from this position. Before he could register what was happening, his libido took control and his hand reached out, lightly caressing the brunette hair as Sarah brought her lips close to his hip, her pale pink tongue slipping past her lips and…

… _Dear Gods…._  Jareth groaned softly as her tongue made contact with his skin in a way he never expected to experience. Shutting his eyes, he savored the feeling.

The touch was soft, wet and oh so warm, sending an electric thrill rocketing through his body. Opening his eyes once more, he saw that she was looking up at him, watching him as her tongue swirled around his hipbone, then dipped below the waist of his jeans, tracing a line toward his middle. He could feel her purring against his flesh as she continued to drag her tongue in lazy circles along his midline before sliding it toward his other hip, to lazily trace circles around it. Leaning back she sprinkled the still glistening skin with salt, then proceeded to bathe the path once more with her tongue, the feeling of her breath on his skin damn near making him lose control. Fighting the urge to transport her straight to his chambers (game be damned!), he settled for twining his hand into the heavy tresses as they tickled his skin.

With a quick toss of her head she had downed the shot. Her eyes pools of emerald lava as she looked up at him, commanding his gaze while her tender lips slid over the peach, then down over his fingers as he held the peach. She wrapped her lips around his fingers, feeling the magic pulse through her at the touch, before sucking the fruit and juices from his hand.

Jareth snarled, the sound part warning and part plea, his eyes visibly darker as they watched the brunette vixen teasing him in ways he had only dreamt of.

Just as slowly as she had sunk to the floor, Sarah rose, her body pressed tightly against him, the feeling of her flesh dragging upward making every nerve in his body seem to vibrate. With a dark growl, Jareth slid his arm around her waist and twisted their bodies, his lips finding hers in a fierce kiss that did not seek a response – it demanded one, one she gave with surprising passion.

Breaking the kiss, Sarah leaned back, letting her hands run lightly down his chest, teasing him further.

"You know, you  _could_  yield and we could finish this elsewhere," she murmured, her hips wriggling with sultry promise as they pressed against him.

"Mynx," he growled, nipping her lip harder. "You first."

"Pity," she said in a lightly taunting voice, before turning away from him toward the group around the table to await the next round.

Not to be outdone, Jareth stepped close to her, his fingers gripping her hips and dragging her body back against his until her back was tucked tightly against his chest, the rest of her body molded to his. He could feel a surge of heat as her skin flushed, and he chuckled. An impish smirk spread over his elegant features, knowing that the flimsy grass of her skirt was doing nothing to hide the rather significant effect she was having on him, and he wanted her to know it.

… _Gods….she fits perfectly against me, like two puzzle pieces,_  he mused.

 _I bet that isn't all that fits like a glove, mate -_ leared his libido, as Sarah shuddered delightfully against him.

* * *

Sarah felt herself flush hotly at the feeling of him pressing so tightly against her, his body so strong and hard, molding her soft flesh to him. Sarah moaned, the sound quiet amidst the noise of the room, but judging from the chuckle that purred in his chest, tickling her back, Jareth had heard her.

… _Damn him. I can't let him have this effect on me. He can't win our bet._  She thought, feeling her head swim slightly and hoping fervently it was merely an effect of how close Jareth was to her.

 _Oh, but if you were in private, I bet he could get closer. Much. Closer._  Sighed her libido wistfully, while flashing through images involving naked flesh, erotic movements and…

…  _Oh Gods... Stop! That!_  She grumbled to herself.  _Whose side are you on anyway?_

 _Me?_  Quipped her libido cheekily,  _I'm on my own side and whatever side will allow me to see Jareth naked – preferably up close and_ _ **very**_ _personal._

Jareth and Sarah watched as other couples began to drop out of the game. By the time their turn in the third round came, only three couples were left – even Carrie and Brent had decided to drop out in favor of continuing in private.

Sarah however, was a bit iffy about continuing. On the one hand she desperately wanted to continue because she didn't want to lose the bet she had with Jareth, however the tequila was going straight to her head, like it always did.

… _Why must it always be tequila for these things?_  She moaned inwardly.  _Why couldn't we do body shots with something less potent, like Kahlua?_

 _Well, you agreed to play this silly game. It is your own fault when you either pass out or get sick. Either way, you'll lose the bet. You knew what the game involves and what tequila does to you,_ scolded her inner-voice, having finally escaped the box that her libido had locked it into.

 _Pipe down Miss-Hall-Monitor-Killer-of-Anything-That-Smacks-of-Fun,_  grumbled her libido.  _Considering his reaction to our last turn, if we get a good body part on the next turn, he might just give in._

…  _I hope so. I don't think I can go many more rounds of this_ , she thought as the room gave a little shimmy – or was that just her?

Sarah felt her throat tighten as Jareth's body shifted against her back, his long arm reaching over her shoulder to pick a new card. Turning her head she tried to see what the card said, his voice a teasing rumble.

"Ah, ah, ah, Precious. No peeking."

Then he gave a wicked laugh that hinted darkly of sinful pleasures and erotic delights. At that moment, Sarah knew that whatever the card said, she was most assuredly in trouble. Serious. Seductive. Fae-sex-on-two-legs type trouble.

And she was right.

She couldn't help the whimper that escaped her when she felt him lean close to her, his hand flipping the card outward so the others could see, as his lips grazed her ear,

"Thigh." With a lecherous chuckle he licked the sensitive skin beneath her ear, "How I have longed for an excuse to caress your tempting legs and here you have gone and given me one. How wonderfully thoughtful of you, Pet," he drawled in velvet tones.

… _Oh fuck me!_

 _A million times yes!_  Squealed her libido, before falling into a quivering heap.

 _At least you shaved tonight,_  commented her inner-voice, not that it was a surprise to either Sarah or her libido that her inner-voice would home in on the most un-romantic, non-sexy thing possible.

 _Thank you Ms. Fun,_  snarked her libido sarcastically.  _Seriously Sarah, who invited_ _ **her**_ **,** griped her libido gesturing angrily at her inner-voice, who merely shrugged and sat back with a self-satisfied smirk.

Sarah lost track of the continued sniping between her libido and inner-voice when Jareth suddenly gripped her hips and spun her to face him, his lips seeking hers in a kiss that was at once passionate and tender, a kiss that commanded her whole attention. His lips swallowed her startled gasp as he lifted her to sit upon the table.

She felt his lips leave hers, hovering millimeters from the heated flesh they had just feasted upon, her fingers finding his shirt and gripping handfuls of the soft material as she fought her body and libido's urgent demand that she kiss him again. Opening her eyes, she was greeted with his piercingly insistent gaze, a look that seemed to lay her soul bare to him.

"Turn back, Sarah. Turn back before it is too late," he whispered so softly only she could hear, goosebumps breaking into a frantic race over her flesh as her brain registered his familiar and haunting words.

Her lips twitched uselessly. All she could manage was a slight shake of her head.

"Last chance, Precious," came the darkly erotic threat. "Give up now, or I will happily spread your thighs here and now, and do things to you that will only amplify the desire that I can smell on you like perfume. I will make you,  _squirm_  with need, Sarah. Showing everyone in here that you burn for me, and me alone. Is that what you want?" he purred quietly, letting his voice settle into every cell of her being as he watched her inner struggle through her glassy eyed stare.

Sarah's libido was torn. It wanted nothing more than to scream "Hell yes!" but at the same time it wanted desperately to drag him someplace private – her room, his castle, a secluded bench somewhere in the middle of the labyrinth. Hell, a closet in the frat house would do - precisely  _where_  didn't matter, so long as they were blissfully and completely alone.

For her part, Sarah found herself wanting him more than anyone she had ever met. She was no blushing virgin, although her experiences of a sexual nature had been few due a distinct feeling that she was missing out on something, that there should be more to it. In fact, her first thought after losing her virginity was "I don't see what all the fuss is about." This should have been her first inkling that perhaps she was spending time with the wrong partners, but no. Being the 'good girl' she was she assumed (however wrongly) that it was her fault, a matter of her inexperience.

So, she spent time perfecting her 'self-play' only to discover that she already knew what felt good and could play her own body as if it were the finest of instruments. Despite coming to the conclusion late, she finally decided that the problem didn't lie with her, but with her partners, however every partner she tried had the same problem – none of them touched her the right way. None of them touched her…

…  _like Jareth,_  she sighed at the sensation of his fingertips tracing idle patterns along the bare flesh of her hips, before opening her mouth to give up and surrender the bet to him.

 _Don't you fuckin dare, Missy!_ Ordered Sarah's inner-voice. While Sarah and her libido were of one mind with regard to their absolute soul-wrenching need to be in his arms, her inner-voice was insistent and (thankfully) rational.  _Ahem! Don't forget that you'd have to grant his wish._

… _His wish,_ she mused while her libido threw a tantrum at her inner-voice's continued interference  _…it could be anything…_

 _Most likely physical,_  whimpered her libido.  _And has to be done on campus and agreeable to you. So it isn't like he can kidnap you or take Toby or anything._

… _True…._

 _Yes…assuming he is playing fair. Have you ever read about a human relationship with a Fae where the Fae played fair? Have you ever known_ _ **him**_ _to play fair?_  Asked her inner-voice in with and annoying amount of 'know-it-all-edness'.

That thought got Sarah's attention. Reluctantly, Sarah found herself once more agreeing with her inner-voice, while her libido sobbed with unrequited lust and want.  _It's not fair_ , her libido wailed.

Sarah straightened her shoulders as she sat on the table, eyeing him defiantly. "No dice, Goblin King," she murmured quietly, giving him a smile that spoke volumes.

She clenched her jaw awaiting his touch, knowing that it would likely be more intense than the electric sensation she got the last time – and she was right. Where his first touches had been tender caresses, the way he touched her this time clearly meant business. His hands found her knees, gripping her firmly enough to make the pool of heat in her stomach quiver needfully, but not so tight as to hurt. With a swift movement he had parted her legs, moving to stand between them. The heat from his body as it pressed near her, made her whimper, her jaw relaxing as his fingertips trailed slowly along it.

"Relax, Precious. If you insist upon this, at least do try to enjoy it," he crooned softly, his eyes glinting wickedly in the dim light of the room. "I certainly will."

Picking up another peach, he held it to his lips, watching her with an impish smile, before opening his mouth and slowly biting into the ripe fruit. Sarah heard herself moan at the sharp popping noise his teeth made as they pierced the juicy skin of the peach, droplets of nectar rolling across the fuzzy surface to drip down his fingers. Her hands dug into the edge of the table painfully, as she fought to resist the urge to throw the peach from his hand so that she could suck the juice from his fingers.

Swallowing another bite, Jareth leaned in and kissed her, his juice-coated lips sliding across hers as his tongue slipped through her lips, taunting her with the sticky sweetness of the peach. Just as suddenly as he kissed her, he stopped, his eyes once more upon hers.

"Say your right words and I'll stop, Sarah," he murmured. Then he smiled, a devilish smirk that teased his kissable lips and made his eyes seem to dance with mischief. "Unless…. Could it be? Little Sarah doesn't  _want_  me to stop?"

Sarah felt her face flush brightly at his words, knowing with every bit of her being that it was true. She didn't want him to stop. Not now. Not ever. She wanted nothing more than for him to keep touching her and teasing her.

With a knowing sneer, Jareth pressed the full shot glass into her fingers. Leaning toward her, his tongue flicked out to tease her lips once more, eliciting a whimper from Sarah as her eyes fluttered shut. She heard the seductive sound of his laughter, while his hot breath washed over her, then just as quickly as his breath was on her, it was gone. Before she could wonder, she felt his hot tongue pulling across the heated flesh of her inner thigh, the pointed tip tracing an ever expanding spiral that sent chills down her spine, while her stomach erupted in flames.

Lost in the sensation of his warm tongue on her skin, Sarah jumped, gasping sharply as the warmth was replaced with something cold and firm. Her eyes flew open as she looked down at him, blushing when she found herself staring into his amused face while he rubbed the half-eaten peach against her inner thigh.

… _I give up!_

 _YAY!_  Screamed her libido

 _NOOOO!_  Wailed her inner-voice.

"Erghh," is all she actually managed to get out, her brain having seized at the feeling of both Jareth and the peach caressing her skin, skin that was only inches away from the part of her body that most craved his attention.

Sarah blushed deeper and squirmed against the table as she felt the telltale dripping sensation begin.

"I see that the fruit is not the only thing that is juicy and inviting here," he chuckled, admiring the way she simultaneously seemed to blush and glow at his words.

… _Mutinous, hormone-addled body!_  She cursed at herself.

Pressing the peach to her lips, he smiled wickedly at her. "Here, hold this Pet."

Without thinking about it, Sarah found herself doing as he asked. Opening her mouth she gently took the peach in her teeth, holding it there.

 _What the fuck?_  Squeaked her inner-voice indignantly.  _Did you really just go and obey Jareth? The Goblin King? Have you lost your mind?_

… _Yes. Yes I have. Sarah isn't here right now. Please hang up and try your call again later. Much. Much. MUCH later._

Sarah was too lost in the feeling of his hands on her legs once more to care what her inner-voice had to say on the matter. In fact, at that particular moment she wasn't evening listening to the rabid cries of utter joy from her libido. No, at that moment in time, Sarah only heard the whooshing of her blood as it roared in her ears, with every nerve attuned to Jareth's next move. Abandoning all pretext control, she moaned wantonly as his tongue bathed her thigh, teasing so close to the edge of her bikini, before swooping away once more, only to return a moment later to tickle her sensitive skin. It was torturous and delicious all at the same time. She wanted to scream, pushing his delectable mouth away, while pulling him harder against her.

She was barely aware when he plucked the glass from her fingers and downed the shot, her body still focused on the sticky warmth on her thigh that was left by Jareth, and the sticky warm wetness further up that was also caused by him. Then she felt his fingertips slide up her torso, lightly grazing over her breasts without touching them, her body arching toward him in response before she realized she had done it.

"Oh," she gasped around the peach in her mouth, finding herself staring once more into his piercing eyes as he took a large bite of the peach. His teeth made a wet sucking sound as he dug into the luscious fruit, the scent of peaches hanging heavy around them.

… _Damn he is good._

 _And if he is this good when you are both still clothed, imagine just how good he has to be when you aren't,_  crowed her libido. Sarah had to admit that the logic was persuasive. Very. Very persuasive.

Jareth gave her a devastating smile as he leaned slowly over her, fingers deftly plucking the peach from her lips, while his lips lightly brushed her ear, sending an electric shock of undeniable want racing into the pit of her belly.

"Don't even  _try_  to deny that you want me, Precious. Your body is betraying you in every way possible. Give up now and I'll spend the rest of the night making sure that you don't regret losing the bet. Give up now and I'll make that yearning ache inside you disappear."

Sarah groaned, wanting so much to give up, but stubborn pride and the fear of his unknown wish forbidding it. Swallowing hard against, her throat dry and hoarse, she managed to finally whisper, "No."

And for the briefest moment she thought he truly looked disappointed.

"My turn," she rasped.

…  _If I can't get him to forfeit now, I won't be in any shape to later,_  she thought, feeling the room sway under her feet as she slid off the table. Between Jareth's ministrations, the shots she had during the game and the margaritas she had before Jareth had shown up, Sarah was having difficulty with thinking, moving and gravity.

* * *

Sarah gave him a seductive smile, her emerald eyes alight with wicked thoughts as she waved the card at him.

"Neck," she purred, her velvet tongue flicking over her lips.

Jareth watched with a sly smirk as she slid from her perch on the edge of the table and wobbled on her feet. He thought for sure that she would give up on his last turn, but the stubborn woman was hanging on, still determined to beat him. He had to wonder if her stubbornness was because she loathed the idea of granting him a wish, merely wanted to win against him (again), or if she really wanted him to grant her wish – which wouldn't have mattered, as he would gladly grant her any wish….

 _So long as it involves either or both of us being naked and in your bed,_  sneered his libido.

… _Indeed._

Expecting her to ask or demand his surrender to the bet, he was surprised when she placed both hands flat upon his chest, her fingers lightly caressing the muscles underneath her fingertips, before looking up at him, green eyes hooded as they sought his hungrily.

"Sit," she breathed, pushing lightly at his chest.

Jareth raised a sculpted eyebrow at her order – no one dared to order the Goblin King around. No one it seemed, except Sarah. Sinking into the chair nearest him, Jareth studied her, fascinated by the quiet determination on her face.

In one swift movement she straddled his lap, one long leg draping along each hip, the suddenness of her movement and the surprise of it eliciting a low groan of pleasure from his lips. Her emerald eyes flashed merrily as she wriggled on his lap, her voice a temptress' purr.

"Don't mind me. I'm just getting…comfortable," she said, her breath burning against his neck as she squirmed against him, grinding the heat of her body against his.

…  _The little tart…_ , he thought, as his inner-self admired the bold cheekiness of her actions.

 _Tasty tart too I'd wager,_  added his libido.

Of that he had little doubt, having been tortured by the scent of her arousal all evening. Between her scent and the wanton wriggling she had done, it was all he could do to control himself, and in the end, he couldn't. His hands found her hips and rocked her pelvis forward and up against him hard, before stilling her movements.

"Having a problem, Jareth?" she panted, her breasts pressing against his chest. "Having a ... _hard_ … time … staying in the game are we?"

Jareth snarled in warning, before moving to nip her neck. For being unsteady on her feet, Sarah was surprisingly quick, arching back away from his bared teeth.

"Tsk-tsk," she clucked, pursing her lips at him playfully.

"Keep going the way you are, Pet and I will gladly show you what it is like to have a  _very hard_  time," he growled, his darkened eyes flashing harshly at her, pleased by the blush that colored her face, to disappear between the soft curve of her breasts.

Still leaning away from him, he watched as her nimble fingers cut a slice of the peach. Sarah brought her face near his, before running her tongue along the length of his jaw. Jareth's eyes widened in shock at her actions.

"Hmm…little Sarah is full of surprises..."

"You have  _no_  idea," she laughed, sharp fine teeth nipping playfully at his jawline as she held a slice of peach to his lips. "Here, hold this," she instructed between nibbles.

Taking a second slice of peach in one hand and the full shot glass in the other, Sarah shifted her hips once more, driving her body harder against him, a sultry smirk teasing at her lips as his eyes widened and a low groan crept past the peach slice in his mouth.

Feeling her shift her weight on his lap as she bent forward, Jareth's eyes shut, allowing him to savor the sensation. She was by no means heavy, but the feeling of her body draped over his obvious arousal, pressing her moist heat against him with each movement, threatened to undo him. It pressed flat against his smooth skin, swirling around the base of his neck, dipping once more into the hollow, before swooping outward again. She worked for sometime along his neck, before sitting up once more, to slide the peach slice in her fingers along the same trail her tongue had just traced.

Without a word she popped the slice in her mouth, swallowing it greedily before thrusting her tongue against his skin once more. Her body rocked against him, a gentle, yet distinct movement that turned into a slow, calculating rhythm, as her tongue found the hollow at the base of his throat. He could feel her humming as she licked him, her breath warm against the cool, sticky feel of the peach juice on his skin. And still she kept rocking against him, subtle movements that made his heart race and the blood pulse thickly in his ears

Then he heard it, a small moan seeping past her parted lips as she swirled her tongue over him. At the same time as the sound met his ears, the rhythm she had started faltered.

… _If she is going to undo me, so help me I will take her with me…._

Gripping her hips once more, Jareth resumed her rhythm, feeling the warm rush of air against his collarbone as she gasped in surprise, then whimpered her need.

The race was on to see who would forfeit first.

* * *

Sarah was struggling. She had started with the intention of driving Jareth to forfeit and found that thanks to the wanton nature of her own actions, she had nearly driven herself to do so. When her rhythm faltered, she thought she might be able to regain control of herself, however  _that_ plan was blown away when Jareth's hands ( _his strong, wonderfully sensual hands…_ ) took over, rocking her hips in such a way that was driving her rapidly toward the precipice of a very large, publically visible cliff and threatening to drive her screaming right over it.

With a small yelp of intense frustration, tinged with desperate need, Sarah threw back her shot, before launching herself forward, her lips capturing Jareth's and the peach slice he held between them. Devouring the slice in a gulp, she proceeded to pour her intense longing into the kiss, her hands sliding up to tangle themselves in his hair.

The force of the kiss ground her harder against him, making Sarah whimper and Jareth growl, his hands moving her harder and faster. Feeling her begin to tremble against him, his hands left her hips, winding forcefully around her and crushing her to his chest to still her movement. Summoning up every last measure of resolve he could find, Jareth wrenched his lips away from hers, the anguished whimper from Sarah making his very soul shudder at the intensity of her desire for him.

"No, Precious. Not unless you forfeit," he growled, struggling to keep the plea from his voice, his arms holding her still, denying her the movement that would drive her over the edge.

"Never…" she panted fiercely, her face buried in the crook of his neck and shoulder, without realizing her hips were wriggling once more in a vain attempt at regaining the movement he had forced her to end.

She could feel the hardness of him beneath her and knew he was as worked up as she was yet the bastard wouldn't give in. Fisting his hair in her hands, she jerked his head back and kissed him deeply, as if attempting to force him to capitulate by denying him air. Just as suddenly as she began kissing him, she pulled back with a frustrated groan.

"Truce?" she whispered urgently, the sound a pleading whimper, before her teeth sunk into the side of his neck. Sarah tried desperately to control her body's demand to writhe against him until she found the completion she needed so badly.

Jareth grunted, fighting the demands of his own body, as one hand roamed up her back to twist into her hair. Firmly pulling her lips and teeth from his neck, he raised her to face him. "Truce…but on  _my_  terms, Sarah," he warned, his eyes mysterious pools that hinted at both danger and ecstasy.

Sarah wanted to scream, 'YES!' anything to move from this point of extreme need and unquenched desire, but the alarm bell being run by her inner-voice stopped her from agreeing so readily, instead she rasped, "Name them…"  _… quickly_ , she begged inwardly.

"A fantasy for a fantasy," he snarled, licking the side of her neck as she quivered in his lap. "One of yours for one of mine."

Without thinking she moaned, "Done! Now get us out of here!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**  Whew…these chapters are getting longer and longer! Please leave a review…they help me find my writing mojo and considering the intense fluff, silliness and outright lemony goodness coming up in later chapters... I need all the mojo I can get!

A question for my readers…what do you think Jareth's fantasy is? I'd love to hear what you think. :)


	7. Strange Bedfellows

**Chapter 7: Strange Bedfellows**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**  I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth (more's the pity!).

 **Warning:**  Adult themes, some language. No goblins or chickens were hurt in the writing of this chapter, and there is no fruit abuse in this chapter either. :)

* * *

 **Author's Note:**  Thanks for the reviews…please continue. They make me smile and help me to find my mojo which seems to go missing about the time I post each new chapter.

**Ch. 7: Strange Bedfellows**

Pulling the blanket tenderly over Sarah's bare shoulder, Jareth shook his head, a bemused smiled playing over his face as he contemplated just what happened since they declared their truce and the two of them ended up in her room.

No sooner had Sarah agreed to the terms of the truce, than he had pulled her bodily into his arms and stood, carrying her from the room as swiftly as he could. She had struggled (of course) and argued with him to put her down (naturally) but he had her in his arms and was not prepared to release her for any reason. They had taunted and teased each other long enough and it was high time to act upon everything that had been hinted at during the game. The only question at this point was where to take her.

 _Your kingdom. Your chambers. Your bed,_ grumbled his libido, for once in agreement with his inner-voice. As one being they wanted nothing more than to see her chocolate waves, tumbled across the pillows of his bed, the pale flesh of her body nestled into the silken sheets – preferably wearing nothing other than those self-same sheets and a sated smile. He had to admit that the mental picture was quite compelling, and more than a little arousing.

… _As if I didn't have enough problems with_ _ **that**_ _after this bloody game,_  he muttered to himself feeling his body respond again, muscles aching at the tempting mental image. Chastising his libido, he growled,  _I don't need you giving me additional ideas. At least not now_ , he amended.

His inner-voice however, was at least pragmatic enough to realize that Sarah would most likely not go to the castle willingly… or quietly. And since he could not take her there without her willing permission, that idea was roundly dismissed as dangerous – to himself, as he was sure she would be quite violent should he attempt to force her hand on that matter.

Carrying her cradled tightly against his chest, Jareth searched the house until he found an empty room, darting into it and locking the door behind them. Gently he placed Sarah back on her feet, his hand sliding around her waist to help support her as her knees buckled once more. Glancing down he saw that her emerald eyes had glazed over, her eyes narrowing.

"Oh Gods…the room is spinning…" eyes wide she looked up at him, a look of suspicion flashing in her eyes, "Why is everything dancing? What have you done, Jareth?"

Shaking his head, Jareth held her up, pressing her against him to reassure her that she was safe. "Nothing, Pet. No tricks tonight. Just an ordinary peach. The tequila seems to be affecting you, nothing more."

Sarah's head fell against his chest, no remnants of the cheeky boldness she had shown before they forfeited the game remaining as she slumped toward him.

"Come on, Sarah," he muttered, tipping her face upward. He frowned at the way her eyes kept fluttering shut. "Stay awake, Precious. Just a bit longer. I can't take you home without your permission."

"Sho tired," Sarah whispered, her body growing heavier in his arms. "Wanna schleep, now."

"Bloody hell," Jareth grumbled, shaking his head in frustration. This was not the end to the evening that the last round of the drinking game had promised. Without words they had promised each other all kinds of deliciously erotic things, and her passing out was definitely not part of that plan.  _Not tonight and preferably not ever again,_ he thought ruefully. Of course, the fact that it had been a _drinking_ game should have been his first clue that things would not work out for the best.

Cringing as she drifted off again, Jareth cursed, "Damn it…those aren't the right words. Come on, Pet…don't do this to me. To us."

 _Nothing for it_ , grinned his libido looking far too happy about things.  _You'll just have to take her to the castle, since you can't enter her room without permission or an invitation._

 _Do it and you'd best go hide in your own oubliette, mate… because once she wakes up in the Underground, the Champion will hunt you down, Fae magic or not!_ Counseled his inner-voice and Jareth had to agree. Sarah would not just be cruel if he did that, she would likely be downright vicious and while he and his libido agreed that seeing her in such a state would be highly arousing, that was most definitely  _not_  the type of arousal he wanted to foster in her – at least not yet anyway.

Jareth shook the brunette in his arms gently, "Sarah… wake up, Precious. You have to give me permission to enter your room. Say it, Sarah. Say the words and I'll take you home."

Sarah peered blearily at him before shutting her eyes again, her voice barely loud enough to be heard, "Plesh… home."

"Close enough," he sighed, conjuring a crystal and dropping it at their feet, he clasped her tightly to him as the world swirled out of focus around them.

Arriving in her room, he tried to figure out which of the two beds belonged to Sarah. One was covered in a floral duvet that was in a snarled heap of blankets and sheets, the other neatly made with a patchwork quilt of navy velvet, adorned with brocade stars and crescent moons. He didn't have to wonder long when he heard a soft snore coming from underneath the pillows of the blue bed. Looking closely, he saw what was unmistakably a goblin ear poking out from under the pillows.

"What  _are_  you doing under  _my_  Champion's pillows," he snapped, a malicious sneer creeping over his face at the panicked squeak from the goblin sleeping on Sarah's bed. "If you don't get back to the castle this instant, you'll spend the next week doing laps in the bog!"

He watched as the goblin glanced at him, its yellow eyes wide in shock at seeing the king in 'the Lady's' bedroom. Then, with a quiet pop, he disappeared.

… _The gossips in the castle will have a field-day with this, I am sure._

 _Yup…tomorrow's headline in the Goblin Gazette – "King Seduces Lady in Her Room: Queen to be Crowned Tomorrow,_ chuckled his inner-voice with a longing sigh.  _If only._

Jareth carefully laid Sarah on her bed, smiling as she murmured in her sleep and curled on her side, still holding on to his hand. Freeing his hand from hers, he pursed his lips.

… _I suppose it wouldn't be particularly comfortable to sleep in that grass skirt,_  he thought.

 _Clothes themselves should be optional for sleeping. Gods only know you never bother with them…about the only time you don't,_ quipped his libido with a sly chuckle as he looked around the bed.  _Besides, I don't see any evidence of pajamas nearby. You don't suppose she sleeps…._

… _Don't_ _ **even**_ _say it,_  he admonished, not wanting to encourage the images of Sarah's nude form that were already springing unbidden to his mind.

 _Be that as it may, if she wakes up wearing anything different than what she is now, she will only assume that you changed her and will likely think you did it…*ahem* manually rather than with magic,_  reasoned his inner-self, showing remarkable restraint considering it was as invested as his libido and himself in the idea of Sarah waking in his bed – preferably naked, and on a frequent, if not permanent basis.

… _Yes…and if she would be mad waking up in the castle, she would be furious to think I had taken liberties with her in this inebriated state._

 _Such a pity,_  sighed his libido wistfully.

… _Indeed._

Straightening, Jareth flicked a crystal at her sleeping form, nodding as the grass skirt ended up laying across a chair, while the hideously ugly shirt was sent to a boggy grave, never to be seen again ( _Thank Danu!)._

Jareth bent over her, his fingers tenderly brushing a stray curl from her face before tucking her under the covers. Brushing his lips across her forehead he whispered softly, "Sleep well, my Sarah."

As he moved to leave, her hand clasped his to her cheek.

"Stay," she whispered, never opening her eyes. "Doan' wanna be 'lone."

With the quiet plea still ringing in his ears and making his heart surge fitfully in his chest, Jareth smiled to himself, his fingers caressing her cheek as she purred in her sleep.

"As you wish, Precious," he chuckled, a tender smile tinged with longing flickered in his mismatched eyes as he watched her drift closer to deep sleep.

Jareth freed his hand from hers to tug his boots off, then climbed onto the bed. With a creak of bedsprings, Jareth laid down behind her, pulling her against his body and wrapping his arms around her. He lay there listening to her breathing slow as she drifted toward sleep, smiling indulgently when she giggled in her half-asleep state.

"Wanna know a secret?" she asked, wrapping herself further into her blankets.

"Hmm?" he purred, relaxing his head upon the pillows as he flicked a crystal into the room and the lights went out.

Sarah murmured sleepily in the dark. "Last night's dream was the best yet….I swear I could feel him and smell him…" she whispered, her voice getting softer with each new admission. "Everything smelled like peaches. I wonder if he tastes like them too?"

Jareth leaned his cheek against hers to better hear her as she talked. "Who, Precious?"

"Jareth," she breathed quietly, "He sends me dreams. Bastard never lets me finish tho. So close…every night," Sarah sighed in frustration, as Jareth bit his lip hard to stifle the chuckle that threatened to escape him, while his heart beat wildly in his chest.

… _She dreams about me…_

 _Even better, mate…she thinks the dreams are your doing, when it is all her. That means she wants you,_  crowed his libido, strutting around like a peacock.

 _She'll never believe that you aren't responsible for them,_  countered his inner-voice.

 _You had to bring that up, Mr. Kill-joy?_  Grumbled his libido petulantly.

"Carrie…?"

… _Carrie? Blast…she doesn't know who she is talking to._

 _No matter, she has been extremely informative in her drunken babbling,_ chuckled his inner-voice, while his libido nodded in a rare show of solidarity.

"Yes?" he drawled softly, moving his cheek from hers to lay against the pillows once more.

"I think I'm falling for him…hard," she said, with a sleepy yawn, completely oblivious to the look of surprise that briefly graced Jareth's face.

"I'll be glad when the package arrives tho… those damn dreams…so worked up…need relief…too tired…need to….." Sarah's words trailed off as she fell deeply asleep, leaving Jareth to smile devilishly into the velvet darkness.

* * *

She couldn't see him, only hear him breathing, his breath hot against the back of her neck. Sarah shivers realizing she is naked and Jareth is standing behind her, his gloved hands roaming over her, silent leather torment that grazes against her heated flesh.

"Mine," he growls in her ear, as his hands grip her hips possessively, pulling her back into his chest. With a gasp she realizes he is naked too, his body firm and strong against hers. Sarah whimpers as his magic seems to arc into her body, sending electric shivers racing over her skin, while a sudden jolt of lightening shoots through her, to pool in her belly, the ache gnawing at her consciousness like a dog with a meaty bone.

"Want…" she pants, as his hands trace patterns on her torso, the feeling of magic seeming to leave glowing lines where ever his fingers touch. Each touch making her nerves sing, while her body, mind and soul beg for more. She moans.

"Need…" she whimpers as he presses up against her, she can feel the steel of his desire taunting her. The empty ache inside her yearning to be filled, yet still he refuses, instead teasing her with his body. Dark. Seductive. Powerful.

"Beg," he purrs, his tone a sultry caress to her senses. This is no request. This is a demand. And she wants to obey it…with every fiber of her being, she wants to.

"Please…" she moans, writhing against him as her lips beg and her body pleads. "Take me."

A firm hand against her back, pushes her to bend. Her knees find the ground, cradled in a soft embrace of pillows, feathers everywhere. Still he bends her. Her hands burying themselves into the nest of pillows, back arching – feline lust on display. Steel hunger teases past her most sensitive flesh, closer to the molten core as she arches toward him, silently pleading with him. A gloved finger traces her spine, making her cry out the want that threatens her very soul, before the hand entwines in her hair, pulling her head back and exposing her throat. Creamy skin. So silky and vulnerable. His teeth sink into the tendon, dragging a cry from her lips. Closer the steel teases, dipping toward her…

… _It is a dream…._  She thinks with a sigh, realizing that her fingers have already found her sensitive flesh, slick with the unrelenting need. Sarah lets herself sink into the imagery, the feel of his body next to hers. His scent seems to linger in her nostrils, a heady combination of petrichor, ozone and the sea, clean yet rich as it saturates her senses. Her hips rock against her own fingers seeking the one thing that can end this god-awful ache that has plagued her since the dreams started. The only thing that can bring relief except for…

"…Jareth…"she gasps aloud as her fingers find their target, sliding over the tender pearl.

With a low purr, she feels her face flush at how slick she still is, knowing that some of that was from the teasing at the party. Her hands deftly manipulate the sensitive flesh, as her mind draws forth the dream.

* * *

He feels her roll further on her side, pushing back against him. If it were not for the fact that his back was against the wall, Jareth was sure she would have succeeded in pushing him off the bed entirely. Cracking an eye, he listens to her.

"Want…" she pants so softly he can barely hear her.

Jareth feels her breathing speed up, her heart racing so fast he can hear it. She shifts in her sleep. Not wanting to wake her, he removes his arms while trying to still the pounding of his own heart as it joins hers, racing as if one.

"Need…" she whimpers restlessly.

The heat rolls off her in waves. He can see the faint flush creeping up her neck as her breath hitches in her throat. Leaning up on his arm, Jareth watches her face, her lips parting as her neck arches, baring her throat. He can see her pulse dancing beneath the thin skin and it makes him ache to close his lips around it and taste her.

"Please…" she moans, writhing in her sleep now. "Take me…." She is begging and somewhere, deep inside, he knows….she is begging him.

He stifles a groan seeing her hand move, her leg sliding closer to his as she makes room, a sigh escaping her parted lips when her fingers find their goal. He knows what she is doing, despite the covers that hide her from view. Her respiration speeds up, taking his along with it, his heart beating in time to hers. The sight of her reaching for her own release, spurred on by the dream, nearly driving him mad with the desire to replace her hands with his own…or something more.

He can hardly stand it, knowing that she is dreaming of him, a dream that is driving her need, yet he knows not what it is. A quick flick of his wrist, accompanied by a brief flash of guilt and he holds the dream in his hand, his eyes drinking in the movement within the shimmering skin of the crystal.

He watches the dream Jareth, pull back on her hair, her body arching beneath him, his tongue flashing out licking her neck.  _…So this is what she dreams of…_   _there is much more to her dreams than I expected…_  The dream Sarah pushes back, matching force for force, her eyes shut, yet her face stunningly enticing as she begs for release.

The real Sarah whimpers, "Jareth….Please…." her head rolling side-to-side upon the pillow as her fingers pinch the tender bud. "Close…so damn close…you…bastard," she mutters, a heated entreaty to both herself and the dream Jareth.

Jareth bites back a chuckle, as a wicked smirk teases his lips.  _…If she thinks the dream me is a bastard about these things…_ he muses, abandoning the thought as the real Sarah squirms more earnestly. She holds her breath, pale cheeks flushed as she pushes for the crest, forcing her body toward the peak she so desperately wants.

He knows she is close by the irregular gasps and pants that accompany the now frantic manipulation of her hands, visible only as subtle movements under the comforter. The sound of her pleading with the dream Jareth, makes his body react, a reaction he holds firmly in check, unable to give in to the base desires that course like lava through his veins.  _For all our sakes, end her torment_ , snaps his inner-self, unable to bear the sight of Sarah's struggle any longer.

"Yes, Precious.  _Now_ ," Jareth whispers in her ear, an answer to her plea. The dark and demanding response spurs her on as she abandons herself to the surge of power held in her release. His eyes glow heatedly while he watches her face, the dream crystal vanishes, forgotten and unneeded.

Hearing the voice that haunts her dreams, Sarah lets go, surrendering to the sensation as it roars through her. Her back arches, lifting her chest from the bed, a keening cry bursting from her throat, as her insides erupt, one word flowing repeatedly from her lips is a gasping cry.

"Jareth!"

Shuddering against the bed, Sarah whimpers, her breath coming in short bursts. As the feeling subsides, she curls back into a ball, relishing the peaceful warmth that engulfs her body after days of endless need.

* * *

 __ **"Show me how you do that trick / The one that makes me scream" she said**  
"The one that makes me laugh" she said /And threw her arms around my neck  
"Show me how you do it /And I promise you I promise that  
I'll run away with you /I'll run away with you"

Spinning on that dizzy edge / I kissed her face and kissed her head  
And dreamed of all the different ways I had / To make her glow  
"Why are you so far away?" she said / "Why won't you ever know that I'm in love with you / That I'm in love with you"

"Fucking Hell!" Sarah yelped, her body jerking against the bed in reaction to the loud music that suddenly blared from the alarm clock.

Leaning over the edge of the bed, her eyes still shut against the obnoxious sun that peeks through the heavy curtains, Sarah picked up the boot and launched it toward the dresser, falling back onto the bed with a growl at the sound of the clock falling from the dresser with a plastic 'crunch'.

Muttering acidly, Sarah pulls the covers back around her ears, "At least I finally got to finish things a bit…damn Jareth and his bloody sex dreams… turning into a fucking nightmare." Thumping her pillow viciously, she snuggles down, pressing her back against the solid wall behind her. "Hope the package arrives soon. Fuck! I hope Carrie is right and it works better than taking things into my own hands…cuz they aren't cutting it anymore. Fucking Jareth, screwing with my dreams. If he wants to screw with something I'll give him something to…."

And then she stopped, her eyes snapping wide in panic as she looked across the room toward Carrie's bed.

"Hang on. I didn't  _wear_ boots last night."

"No," came the silky reply from behind her, the clipped accent making her stomach simultaneously flip and drop – a rather remarkable feat of contortionist flexibility. "The boots belong to  _me_ , Precious _"_

… _Oh holy crap!_  Sarah moaned, shuddering with trepidation.

"Jareth is not here. The Goblin King is most definitely  _not_ in my bed. This is just a left over part of the latest dream he sent me," Sarah muttered, willing herself to believe it as she reached her hand up over her shoulder, creeping forward until it touched…a face. A face with a tempting mouth, that quickly sucked her fingers into the heated, wet depths, eliciting a low moan from Sarah and an excited yelp from her libido who had finally found its voice again.

"Oh. Fuck. Me," she whimperedpulling the covers over her head and scrunching down into the bed.

 _Yes, please!_  Squealed her libido, doing an impromptu striptease as it raced merrily around like a lunatic.

 _Pulling the covers over your head only works on monsters under the bed. I highly doubt it works on Goblin Kings_ _ **in**_ _your bed,_ snarked her inner-voice, while her libido fizzled into an arousal drenched pile of goo thinking all of its Christmases had come at once, upon realizing the Goblin King was there….in her bed.

"Hmmm….are you  _quite_  sure, given our current positions, that you want to make that offer, Pet?" he drawled, a dark chuckle vibrating in his chest, making her belly quiver needfully. "After your rather impressive display earlier and your wanton display last night, I am more than inclined to give you what you ask."

"That is not now, nor ever, an offer… Jareth," Sarah ground out. "It is an expression of frustration, dismay and possibly anger.  _Not_  an invitation for you to maul me or…or… or… gah!"

Laughing, Jareth leaned close to her, "Believe me, Precious…mauling you is the furthest thing from my mind. I have much more mutually enjoyable entertainments in mind."

Sarah shrunk down further in the bed, attempting to pull her blanketed body away from Jareth's and failing as his arms wrapped around her and pulled her close once more.

"Oh no, Pet. There is no escaping me now. I rather like the feel of you in my arms," he chuckled quietly, lips pressing close to her ear. "Besides, there is still the matter of our truce. You agreed to fulfill one of my fantasies, just as I shall fulfill one of yours."

… _ **fulfill**_ _a fantasy? Oh shit,_  she thought in shock, before ranting angrily to herself.  _Bloody, sneaky, Fae bastard and his fucking loopholes._

Launching herself upright in the bed, Sarah clutched the blanket to her chest, suddenly aware that she was still only wearing her bikini. "Fulfill?" she asked, her voice rising shrilly, as her head began to pound viciously.

With a moan, Sarah fell back onto the pillows her hands against her forehead.

"Owww… I'm in too much pain to think about that now," she groaned. "I will  _never_  do shots again…body or otherwise."

"Hmm…yes, I think that would be wise, Dearest. You nearly passed out before giving me leave to bring you home. Had you not done so in time, I would have had no choice but to take you back to my castle until you awoke."

Sarah curled into a ball once more, holding her head as she answered, her voice pained, "Guess I was lucky then, but _soooo_  not feeling it now."

Rising slowly, Sarah let the blanket fall back to the bed, her eyes cracking painfully as she looked at him. Shaking her head gingerly, she whimpered before speaking, "I can't think about or discuss your latest trick…."

"No trick, Sarah," he retorted with a smug grin shining in his mismatched eyes as he reclined fully on her bed, tucking his arms behind his head. "You asked the terms. I gave them to you. It is hardly my fault that in your lust-addled state you failed to seek clarification,"

Sarah grumbled. "As I was saying…we will deal with your latest  _trick_  after I have had a shower, some painkillers and a hang-over breakfast.  _You_ ," she said, pointing at Jareth, "Stay put, stay quiet and don't mess with anything. We aren't supposed to have men in our rooms. I'm going for a shower and then  _you're_  taking me to breakfast."

 _Hmm… best to remember she is not a morning person,_  muttered Jareth's inner-voice as Sarah slammed the bathroom door behind her.

… _True…._ He thought with a self-satisfied grin, leaning back against the pillows. This wasn't quite the way he had planned to wake up with her today, but it was a start.

 _Next time will be better,_  grinned his libido, returning to visions of Sarah's pale flesh laid upon his silken sheets.

… _I can only hope._

_**NOTE:**  The song in this chapter is "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure._


	8. Hangover Hell

**Chapter 8: Hangover Hell**

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**DISCLAIMER:**  I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth (more's the pity!).

 **Warning:**  Adult themes, some language. No goblins or chickens were hurt in the writing of this chapter, and there is no fruit abuse in this chapter either. But more fu with fruit is coming up. ;)

 **A/N:**  Thanks for the reviews! Please keep them coming. We are heading toward the home stretch now...but reviews help me keep going and keep me from procrastinating too much :)

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**Ch. 8 Hang-over Hell**

Sarah leaned her head against the wall of the shower, the hot water pelting her back with needle like precision, a sensation that usually served to relax any tension in her shoulders. However, this morning it wasn't working. With a low groan, she shook her head trying to come to grips with what had just happened.

… _I just brought myself off. With the Goblin King lying next to me, in my own damn bed,_  she muttered to herself, still in shock by the whole thing.

 _And it was freaking marvelous! Next time, could you at least ask for his help?_  Chirped her libido, apparently oblivious to the seriousness of what just happened.  _Those hands must be heavenly…._  And her libido went quiet, shivering with delight at the mere thought of what Jareth's hands would be capable of.

 _He didn't seem too surprised or put out by things,_  interjected her inner-voice thoughtfully.  _And you do want him don't you?_

… _Do you even have to ask?_

 _Then perhaps it is time to act on it, seeing as how he definitely seems interested, or did you somehow miss that during the performance the two of you put on at the frat house last night._ Added her inner-voice, rendering her libido speechless as it voiced an action that the libido whole-heartedly agreed with, and had been promoting since Jareth first reappeared in Sarah's life.

Sarah groaned. She had forgotten about the heated body shot battle and the shameless way she had tried to get the better of him, only succeeding in working herself up.

 _Um…HELLO…did you not register just how much of an effect you were having on Jareth?_  Squealed her libido enthusiastically at the memory of being draped across his lap, and nearly bringing herself off there as well.

… _I wonder what might have happened if I hadn't passed out_.

 _He probably would have helped you enact some of the luscious things you hinted at during the body shots,_  purred her libido with a suggestive waggle of its eyebrows as it vividly replayed the sensation of Jareth's tongue dragging along her inner thigh.

Sarah moaned at the memory, feeling heat course through her body once more at the mere thought.

… _But the fantasies….I have to fulfill one of his…._

 _And he'll fulfill one of yours._ Drooled her libido with a sultry purr.  _Basically, everyone wins. So what is the problem? Get your ass out of this shower, back into your bedroom and shag the Goblin King senseless!_

And Sarah considered this, feeling a flash of lust burst to life in her veins. … _Bad. Bad Sarah! Bad idea! You cannot just jump the Goblin King and expect there to be no consequences…_ As much as she wanted to agree with her libido and her inner-voice, Sarah couldn't bring herself to act on that desire. Not until she really understood why he was here in the first place.

* * *

Jareth was still lounging on the bed when the door creaked open and Carrie backed into the room, juggling a box and her overnight bag.

"Wakey-wakey, Princess. I heard that you and Jareth bailed out of the game last night so I hope he helped you with your lil problem. If not, the magic wand for ridding yourself of the Jareth induced frustration has arrived," Carrie announced cheerfully, as she nudged the door shut with her hip.

Jareth watched as Carrie waved a brightly colored, buzzing item around to emphasize her statement, his lips twisting in amusement as she finally noticed him.

"Oh holy hell!" she gasped, her blue eyes wide as she realized that not only had she just told the him about Sarah's problem, she was practically waving the solution under his nose.

"And just  _what_  is that buzzing thing, Carrie?" enquired the Goblin King smoothly, a knowing smirk gracing his angular features at Carrie's discomfort.

"This?" she muttered, looking at the toy in her hand. "Um… its….its…um….y'see…that is ….oh fuck…."

To say Jareth was enjoying watching Carrie's flustered reaction was an understatement. He had been alive long enough to have a pretty good idea what she was holding in her hand, and was more than a little bit interested in just how it came to be in her possession.

"Yes…I am aware it is used for that purpose," he chuckled, his eyes flashing devilishly at her embarrassment. "Just what are  _you_  doing with it?"

"It's Sarah's," blurted Carrie, absently wondering if the heat in the room was somehow on over-drive as the room seemed stifling all of a sudden. "She ordered it last week. It must've arrived in the mail yesterday."

Hearing Carrie's call as she entered the room, Sarah turned off the water and threw her robe over her shoulders, before poking her head out of the bathroom. The calm and relaxed feeling she had managed to find in the shower was completely destroyed by the sight that greeted her – Carrie still in her bikini and grass skirt, waving a vibrator in her hand - Sarah's new toy to be exact - as the Goblin King lounged on Sarah's bed, looking on with interested amusement. Sarah's eyes darted from Carrie, to the toy, then to Jareth, her face turning deep crimson.

Carrie gave a startled squeak seeing Sarah look out from the bathroom. With a nervous giggle, she backed against the door to the room. "Um…good morning?" she grinned. Glancing down at the still buzzing, vibrating and squirming, hot pink, Wiggling Wabbit, Carrie thrust it hastily behind her back, where it rattled wildly against the wood, a sound that made both she and Sarah blush furiously.

"Oh fuck," she muttered, her eyes watching Sarah intently.

"Carrie…." Sarah began, her emerald eyes flashing dangerously as she glared at her best friend.

"Yeah, Sarah?"

"Run."

Yelping, Carrie dropped the vibrator on the floor where it proceeded to spin itself in circles from the force of the vibration, as Carrie yanked open the door and bolted from the room. Just as quickly, Sarah launched herself from the bathroom. Snatching up the vibrator from the floor, she darted into the hallway, and threw the offending item down the hall where it hit Carrie's fleeing back with a resounding thud. Slamming the door to her bedroom Sarah leaned against it, shutting her eyes as she tried to figure out just what had happened and how she was going to deal with it.

Opening her eyes, Sarah glared at Jareth who was actually turning red as he fought the laughter that was welling up inside him. Seeing his eyes sparkling with mirth she growled threateningly, jabbing a manicured nail in his direction: "I swear to you, if laugh I'll never speak to you again, Goblin King."

… _It isn't the best threat, but he seems to want to be around me, so maybe it will work,_  she moaned inwardly, wishing that she could go back to bed and restart the events of the morning.

Biting back the laughter that promised to drown him if it didn't find an escape, Jareth nodded, trying to force his face into a serious mask, the strain evident in his voice, "Wouldn't dream of it, Precious."

" _Very_  wise move," Sarah sighed, collapsing onto her desk chair with a shake of her head. "Seriously, this morning could not possibly get worse."

Sadly, Sarah had forgotten the one great golden rule of the Labyrinth – never take anything for granted.

Without warning her closet door burst open with a crash. The next thing she knew, Sarah had a room full of goblins who were yelling and chasing a pair of distressed black chickens that squawked loudly, feathers flying.

"Got it?" asked Boody, a short and fat goblin with a bulbous blue nose.

"Chicken!" yelped Squint, as Boody backed into him and sent him flying into Sarah's legs.

"Catch'um!" ordered Bob, bowling into the side of the desk in his hurry to catch the chicken.

"Ker-squAWK!" countered one of the chickens, careening wildly into Sarah's back as it attempted to defy the biomechanics of chicken anatomy and fly.

"Got it!" yelled Dudder, a bushy mustached goblin wearing a striped mitten as a hat. "Dun got it," he yipped as the chicken pecked him viciously and struggled free.

"Squawk- Ker-SQUAWK," crowed the vicious chicken triumphantly.

Sarah looked at Jareth, her face a study in abject desperation and despair. "Bog them. Please?"

"With pleasure, Pet," Jareth laughed, flicking a shining crystal into the mass of goblin bodies now congregated in the middle of the room where they were currently wrestling with the two chickens, who were (quite naturally) protesting loudly and pecking at any goblin body part that came within reach. A soft popping sound heralded the abrupt disappearance of the writhing mass of goblin and chicken bodies, followed by blissful silence.

Sarah dropped her forehead to her desk and sighed. Moving behind her, Jareth gently pulled Sarah from that chair and enfolded her in his arms. The feeling of his lips tenderly brushing against her forehead was almost enough to make her forget the utter humiliation of her morning.

"You still owe me that breakfast date, unless you want me to come back later, Sarah?" he chuckled. "The debt must be paid, Precious. You know the rules as well as I."

"You mean, I still have to go to breakfast after being thoroughly humiliated in front of you, not once, but twice within the last hour? Surely my complete and utter humiliation is worth the negation of the debt on sympathy alone?" she asked, her voice laced with a hopefulness that she knew would be in vain.

"Perhaps, if you were willing to beg for the mercy of the crown?" Jareth teased with a wicked smirk.

Something inside Sarah snapped. She giggled. Then laughed. Then dissolved into a mass of snickers as she threw herself at his feet, her purple terry-toweling robe draping gracefully around her bent form as she clung dramatically to his knees.

"Oh please, great and mighty Goblin King. Take pity on a poor college student and free her from her debt. If for no other reason, than she has suffered enough humiliation for one morning and really couldn't bear any more," she pleaded between giggles.

Jareth laughed, the sound almost a deep purr that welled from within him as found that he rather enjoyed the view of the young woman at his feet.

 _There are far more interesting things she could be begging for, mate,_  replied his libido wistfully.

… _Indeed….all in good time._

"You call  _that_ begging, Sarah? My goodness, at least put in a little effort girl," he chided playfully. "I wouldn't even consider allowing mercy if that is the best you can do."

Without thinking, Sarah smothered his boots, calves and knees with a flurry of kisses, causing Jareth's gaze to narrow as he watched her intently. Giggling merrily, she continued to beg, "Please! I promise I've learned the lesson never to make silly wagers with Fae Kings. I will never again drink tequila. I won't even  _consider_  another body shots game. And I will never gamble over fantasies."

Somehow, in the process of being silly and begging Jareth to negate the debt, Sarah found her embarrassment had eased. However, had she been watching Jareth's face, Sarah would have seen his eyes darken and a sultry smirk replace the teasing smile. Although oblivious to his look, she heard the shift in his tone when he continued, his voice a seductive purr that made her stomach tremble and her heart flutter wildly in her chest.

"Hmm…Perhaps. However I think there is one lesson you have not yet learned," he purred. "I hardly think girls who tease mercilessly with no intent to follow through are deserving of the mercy of the crown. Do you, Sarah?"

"In fact," he drawled darkly, "I think it only fair that you consider how to make amends for the teasing, Pet."

Sarah felt a moan threaten to sneak past her lips at his words, her stomach flip-flopping within her as goosebumps suddenly raced willy-nilly over her flesh. Sitting back, still on the floor near his feet, Sarah pulled her robe around herself and looked up at him.

 _I can give you ten different ideas for how to make amends_ , gasped her libido as mental images began flitting through Sarah's head like a sex-fueled slideshow.  _Hell….give me a few minutes and I'm sure I could come up with at least 100!_

"I hardly think that is fair," Sarah retorted, cursing herself for how breathy her voice sounded. "After all, you were doing as much teasing as I was last night, Jareth."

Raising an elegant eyebrow, Jareth studied her before answering, his clipped response, while quiet, hinting at sensuality that was only barely being restrained, " _I_   _was_  and  _still am_ , quite happy to fulfill  _all_  promises inherent in my teasing, Sarah. Can the same be said for you?"

Blushing, Sarah gawped at him, her mouth opening and closing as she determined how to answer.

 _Say yes!_  Demanded her libido.

 _Please the fifth!_  Argued her inner-voice.  _Don't incriminate yourself!_

Sarah's actual response not only left both her libido and inner-self speechless, but the Goblin King as well.

"I didn't hint at anything I wasn't perfectly willing to do, Goblin King," she purred quietly. "Had the tequila not finished me off, I sincerely doubt we would be having this or any other conversation at the moment. In fact, I strongly suspect that had things gone the way either of us had hoped, we would neither one be in any shape to speak, much less move at this point."

 _I like the way the girl thinks!_ Muttered his libido with a hungry grin, while Jareth looked on in surprise. He had honestly thought her actions of the previous night were all a matter of false bravado and nothing more. Clearly, there was more to Sarah than he expected.

… _And I plan to spend a very long time exploring what other surprises she has in store._

Pushing up from the floor, Sarah leaned lightly against her desk as she looked at him, her green eyes a sultry beacon that drew his attention in a way nothing else could. Flicking her tongue over her suddenly very dry lips, Sarah almost couldn't believe it when her mouth opened and she continued to speak.

"As for making amends … I'll make amends for teasing you, only if you make amends to me as well –  _with interest_ , since you actually started teasing me six years ago, and don't think I don't remember you taunting me in the tunnels just before you set those damn cleaners on me. Add to that the torturous dreams you've been sending, and well…I  _definitely_  think  _ **you**_  owe  _ **me**_."

Jareth felt a rumble of desire spring to life in his chest, like the purr of a great cat about to feast upon a delectable morsel – and Sarah was a  _very_  delectable morsel, even wrapped in the purple travesty of a bathrobe (one which his libido was already suggesting should be bogged immediately, in favor of 'Sarah 'au natural'

As Sarah crossed her arms over her chest, she cocked her head looking intently at him, her eyes dancing wickedly. With a look she goaded him, her defiance palpable in the confined space of the room. Her very look and posture spoke volumes, making him want nothing more than to take her in hand and remind her just who had power over whom. Deep down, he could feel the pulse of desire that came from her telling him that is exactly what she wanted – his strength, her defiance, together in a volatile explosion of absolute need. The feeling and mental images it invited were enough to make him speechless for the second time in so many minutes.

Shaking his head to force the images of Sarah writhing beneath him from his mind, Jareth smirked, his lips teasing over pointed teeth.

 _All the better to taste you with my dear…_  snarled his libido, fairly bursting with the desire to rush her and taste every bit of her, knowing her defiant nature would make her eventual surrender that much sweeter.

One slow step in the small room took him to her, and he could feel the heat of her washing over him, a powerful torrent that made his blood race within him.

"The dreams weren't from me, Precious. They are the result of your own  _desires_. Your own  _fantasies_ ," he drawled, his lips drawing nearer to her ear, while his tone dropped lower. Although his words were low, the intent was crystal clear as the meaning burrowed into her heart and her soul accepted their truth. "A product of your own unrelenting… _lust_ ," he said, rolling the last word over his tongue as if savoring the very taste of it.

Sarah shivered in spite of herself.

She hadn't considered that the dreams were figments of her own desire for him, a desire she had tried fruitlessly to hide from herself ever since the first fantasy had invaded her sleep shortly after her 16th birthday.

Sarah felt his arms pass around her, pulling her close. The feel of his firm build against her chest calling out to her body, her very blood seeming to sing as it flowed through her. Jareth's fingers tipped her chin upward before his lips captured hers tenderly, yet beneath the gentle embrace and seemingly chaste kiss, a thread of intense desire thrummed with tantalizing nearness. As he pulled back, Sarah's lips followed his, unwilling to release him yet, she sought more. And then, when she felt her heart and lungs would burst, she broke the kiss, leaving them both wanting and waiting for more.

"There you go," she rasped, an impish grin flashing across her face, "Your kiss for today."

Sliding out of his arms, she laughed mischievously at the somewhat astonished look he gave her as she headed for the door. Jareth reached out, a firm hand grasping her wrist and pulling her back into his embrace once more, his voice a sensual growl that electrified her senses, "And just  _where_  do you think  _you_  are going, Precious?"

Leaning up, Sarah giggled and playfully licked the tip of the Goblin King's nose, biting back a laugh at the incredulous look he gave her.

" _I_  am going into the hall to retrieve the toy that Carrie was so kind as to go flashing around. Even if you didn't send the dreams, I ordered it. It is mine."

The feeling of his teeth grazing the skin under her ear set her skin ablaze while her libido dissolved into a shuddering hormonal puddle of lust. "Say the words Sarah, and you could have the real thing."

For an instant her brain seemed to seize up. She could almost hear her internal circuitry fizzling as it overloaded with images of just what 'saying the words' might lead to. And she liked what her mind had to suggest on the matter.

Grasping at the last bit of self-restraint she had, Sarah darted free of his arms once more. Sliding out the door, she poked her head around to look at Jareth, a wicked smile playing over her full lips as she winked at him.

"Who says I have to settle for either or? What if my fantasy is to have both?"

In shutting the door she missed a sight that no one Aboveground or below had seen in…well…ever - the Goblin King's mouth agape in gob-smacked astonishment.

…  _Definitely my equal…._  He thought with a devilish smirk as he began to think of all the different ways he would happily help her fantasy come true.

 _Mate, if you don't manage to keep that girl this time, I'll never speak to you again,_  snapped his libido.  _I don't care if you have to chain her to your bed, she stays this time. End of story. Period._

…  _She is surprising me often enough, I suspect she might actually enjoy that – not that it would be a bad thing._

The inner conversation ended there, as Jareth's libido was overwhelmed by the idea of Sarah willingly chained to his bed and all of the sultry fun that could be had with a warm and willing Champion in such a position.

Slipping back into the room, Sarah gave him a cheeky grin as she tucked the garishly colored toy under her pillow, "Whether you sent the dreams or not, it is probably best to keep this close at hand."

"The real thing would be much more satisfying, Sarah," he purred in promise, mismatched eyes darkening as he spoke, "…for everyone involved."

Sarah's libido took this moment to join the conversation once more by flashing mental images of just how a naked Jareth might compare to the toy, and there really was no comparison. The pictures were so good they made Sarah pause and blush hotly. Yet, for some odd reason, she found her stomach fluttered and her mouth began to water.

…  _What the hell is_ _ **that**_ _about?_

Seeing him start toward her, Sarah giggled coquettishly and backed toward her dresser.

"Oh no…you stay over there buster. I still want breakfast and if you have your way we'll never get out of this room," Sarah laughed, turning to pull clothes out of the dresser.

Ignoring her entreaty, Jareth closed in once more, his arms entwining around her and pulling her back firmly against his body as his lips found the sensitive flesh of her neck. He breathed deep, a purr rumbling from his chest at the scent of vanilla and citrus that seemed to glide over her ivory skin.

"Hmm…having my way…with you…. is exactly what I want. Besides, would staying in here, with me, be such a bad thing, Pet?"

Sarah allowed herself to lean into his embrace, basking in the warmth of his arms and chest as she considered his question. There were good reasons to give in and accept his clear offer. But, if she was honest with herself, there were just as many reasons not to, not the least of which was the question that had kept her in check so far – Just why is he here?

 _Ravish him already!_  Ordered her libido.

 _Hmm…judging from his words and actions, I'd be hard-pressed to say who would be ravishing whom,_  countered her inner-voice.

…  _Does it really matter?_

 _Not a bit,_  drooled her libido,  _so long as someone is getting ravished and both of you are naked._

Grinning she shook her head at him, "Nope. There will be no distracting me with ballrooms, peaches, songs or gilded promises this time Goblin King. Breakfast before anything else. I'm not going to let you trick me with anymore loopholes."

"And after breakfast…?" he whispered, his sharp teeth tugging at her earlobe in a way that made her tremble delightfully against him.

"Dessert of course," she gasped softly. "But only if you are good."

Chuckling the Goblin King held a shining crystal before her eyes, and watched as she was transfixed by the shifting movement of flesh on flesh that shimmered in the depths of glittering orb.

"Precious, I would be only too glad to show you just how good I can be."

 


	9. 'Jareth's Revenge'

**Chapter 9: Jareth's Revenge**

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**DISCLAIMER:**  I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. That said, I wouldn't mind the chance to seriously snog the stuffin outta Jareth. Just sayin!

 **WARNING:**  No goblins were harmed in the writing of this chapter, although several bags of M&M's and a package of mint Oreos were sacrificed to help me get through it. Although food plays a part in this chapter, there is no food abuse in this chapter.

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 **A/N:**  Thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming. We are heading into the home stretch which means LOTS of lemons after this chapter. My regular readers know that I stress out about writing lemons, so encouragement is helpful.

**Review responses for those who I couldn't reply privately to:**

_**Rhiannon:**_  (love the name by the way). Don't worry…this story will be finished long before the first of the year (hopefully in the next week or so). I love that the last couple of chapters made you smile so much your face hurt…. :) That is like a huge compliment… so thanks!

 _ **Cassie:**_  Glad you are enjoying the silly steaminess so far. I hope you like the next couple of chapters as well.

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**Ch. 9: Jareth's Revenge**

As much as Jareth wanted to listen to Sarah's explanation for why the breakfast he was now eating was called 'Jareth's Revenge', every time she gestured with her fork, the light silk of her shirt slid sensuously over her breasts and made it nigh on impossible to concentrate on anything but the fact that there was nothing but bare flesh underneath the shirt – his shirt in fact, caressing flesh that  _he_  wanted more than anything to be touching.

Of course, it was his own fault.

 _Too clever for your own good,_  grumbled his inner-voice, trying desperately to focus on what Sarah was saying, while his libido leered blatantly at Sarah's chest.  _Too damn clever by half!_

 _I bet she knows_ _ **exactly**_ _what she is doing_ , muttered his libido with a wicked smirk as the silk of the shirt gaped open exposing more of the ivory flesh to his view.

The simple truth of the matter was that Jareth let his desires for both Sarah and winning get the better of him. Since she insisted (… _bloody infuriating woman demanded breakfast and swore nothing would happen until she had it…_ ) upon going to breakfast and was attempting to make him leave her room so she could change, Jareth decided to take matters into his own hands, flicking a crystal at the surprised brunette. In a flash she had been clothed. He had to laugh at the way she clutched at her body, as if trying to cover herself. Apparently she had thought he was merely getting rid of the robe.

… _Honestly. I have more style than that._ _ **When**_ _I strip her, and it is really a matter of when not if, it will be with my own hands, not magic. I have every intention of savoring that experience._

Realizing she was wearing clothes, Sarah turned toward the mirror and gasped, her emerald eyes meeting his in the reflective surface. She was wearing a cream silk shirt with full sleeves and lace cuffs. The front of the shirt draped open, sliding low across her chest, held closed only by lacing of fine silken cord. The shirt was un-tucked over a burgundy suede shirt. Below the skirt she was wearing her black knee high boots.

In the mirror she could see that he too had changed, and she became momentarily distracted by the beauty of him. His long legs were encased in black wool trousers that seemed to flow easily over the lightly muscled legs. Under the tailored black leather jacket he wore a burgundy silk, button-down shirt, the golden pendant he always wore peeking teasingly around the open neck. In a word, the Goblin King looked...

… _like the physical embodiment of sex…_

It took an insane amount of effort to remain affronted by his boldness in dressing her, when all she really wanted to do was drag her hands over his silk-clad chest so she could feel the muscles ripple and twitch beneath them. Shaking her head to clear her mind of the sultry images that were plaguing her, Sarah finally found her voice.

"And just what do you call  _this_  then?" she asked, gesturing at her body.

Leaning in close to her ear, Jarth smirked at her through the mirror.

"Clothing, Precious. I am given to understand that it is something of a common courtesy to wear clothes when one is going out. However, I would be most happy to remove them if they are problem for you, as I have absolutely no objection to you being delightfully nude," he drawled, dragging out the last word, his mismatched eyes flashing impishly at the indignant look she gave him. "Come back to the castle with me and you could stay like that indefinitely, should you wish. Of course, I would do all that I could to make sure that is _exactly_  what you want."

Sarah's libido cheered enthusiastically begging her to say yes, while her inner-voice merely shivered at the idea of returning to the castle. Pointedly ignoring his offer, Sarah shook her head.

"I see they are  _clothes_ , Jareth," she hissed. "Unless I am mistaken, this shirt seems awfully familiar."

Jareth chuckled, wrapping his arms around her once more as he pulled her close to him.

"It should, Precious. It is the shirt I was wearing when we spoke in the tunnels on your run. Call me sentimental, but I have often wondered how you would look in it. Mind you, I had rather hoped it would be all you were wearing at the time," he purred, winking at her in the mirror.

Sarah gasped and blushed, her mind suddenly seeing herself lounging across the throne, wearing nothing but this shirt. Clearing her throat, she quipped, hoping she sounded light-hearted rather than lustful, "Mental yes…I'd agree with that statement."

"Cheeky minx," he murmured, his sharp teeth tugging playfully at her earlobe until he was rewarded with a breathy gasp.

She fought hard not to quiver as his hands slid beneath the hem of the shirt, only to splay boldly against her bare stomach.

… _Oh Gods…he isn't wearing gloves again,_  she gasped inwardly as the jot of pure magic danced against her skin. Steeling herself against the feel of his hands on her and the way the magic seemed to gallop through her veins, Sarah lifted her wrist to her nose, sniffing the material delicately.

"At least tell me it has been cleaned since then?" she muttered. "It still smells like you," she sighed, trying desperately to quell the urge to kiss him again, knowing that if she did so, she would be lost. Breakfast wouldn't happen. Hell, lunch wouldn't happen. She would no doubt end up back in the castle. More specifically, in his bed.

 _And would that really be so bad?_  Pouted her libido, while her inner-voice unfurled a scroll with all of the reasons why that would be bad, and began to read them off until it was silenced as her libido tackled it to the ground, before crumbling the scroll into a small ball and setting it alight with a flame of her own desire.  _Again, I ask…would that really be so bad?_

Seeing the inner-fight spilling from her green eyes, Jareth took a moment to enjoy the view. He rather liked the look of her nestled back against his chest, her chestnut waves spilling over the cream colored silk shirt she was wearing. With a flick of her head, a satiny tendril slid down to hide in the depths of her cleavage, a view that was both enticing and arousing.

"Hmm…I'm flattered that you recognize my scent, Pet," he chuckled, the sound a sultry hum as he pressed his lips to her ear once more, the warmth of his breath washing over the sensitive skin making her shiver against him. "However, the shirt has been cleaned. What you smell is my natural scent combined with my magic. For my people it is something akin to a signature."

"Oh…" whispered Sarah, lost in the feeling of how close he was, his scent that now surrounded her, overwhelming her senses until all she could think about was him.

… _Could you sound anymore brainless? 'Oh'? Was that the best you could come up with?_

Giving in she moved to kiss him and stopped cold.

… _What the hell?_  She grumbled to herself as cool air teased against the juncture of her thighs, the feeling making her nipples respond, dragging against the silken material of the shirt in a way that made her gasp in spite of herself.

Peeking down the front of the shirt she realized that she was braless and if the cool air swirling around her nether-parts was any indication, knickerless as well.

"Um…Goblin King… While I appreciate the sentiment in dressing me," she chided, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she gestured toward the mirror," …you appear to have forgotten some rather important bits of clothing."

Jareth was busily running his tongue and teeth over her neck as he responded, his words vibrating against her skin.

"Nonsense, Precious. They are hardly important and would only get in the way when I go to get you out of this rather beguiling get-up later. Besides, I rather like the knowledge that there would be nothing between my hands and your…"

"Stop right there, Mister," Sarah growled in warning as his hand slid upward, a thumb lightly brushing against the underside of her breast. "Taking a few things for granted aren't you, hmm? The deal was breakfast,  _first_. Anything else is dependent upon you being good and I've got news for you, so far, you aren't being good. Are you going to break the rules that you are so fond of flaunting at me?"

Sarah felt him shift against her back, his chest pulling the silk of her shirt taut against the rounded nubs of her breasts, highlighting them in the mirror. She blushed as his eyes twinkled at her in the mirror, before being drawn to her chest with a hungry look.

"Hmm… I have no intention of skipping breakfast, Pet. I just thought I'd make it more…interesting. And believe me, I am being good. If I were being bad, we wouldn't be having this conversation at all, as I would already have you back in my castle. More precisely… _in my bed…under me_ ," he purred.

His voice dropped so low that his last words were a bare whisper that teased against her ear like a caress of silk, sending a bolt of pure desire to pool in the pit of her stomach. She felt her insides pool, her thighs slamming tight against each other at the familiar sensation, making her blush. Peeking at him in the mirror, she saw the knowing look in his mismatched eyes and his devilish grin.

Tugging her to him more tightly, he drew her eyes to a crystal as it danced over his hand.

"Just think of where you want to be and we'll go," he murmured, licking the side of her neck in a gesture that was disturbingly intimate and…

… _oh so right…_

 _Oh so seductive_ , moaned her libido with a lustful purr.

Even Sarah's inner-voice agreed, giving a lascivious shimmy at the thought of being in his bed, images of rich wood, sumptuous velvet curtains, and heavy brocade bedding dancing through her mind. She gasped and clung to the strong arm wrapped around her waist as the room seemed to fall away in a spinning mist, before her feet landed lightly. Eyes shut tightly against the continued feeling of vertigo that swept over her, Sarah shivered when Jareth began to laugh.

"Hmmm…..so you liked that idea, did you, Precious?" he purred in her ear.

"Wha….?" Sarah murmured. Opening her eyes, Sarah squeaked before slamming her eyes shut once more and burying her face in her hands.

"This is  _not_  where I wanted to go," she groaned, still shaking her head. "This is  _sooooo_  not where I wanted to go!"

Her protestations only made Jareth laugh more, the sound a dark baritone rumble that made her insides tremble, while the heated core of her flared brightly at the sultry sound. Leaning back, Jareth pulled her down onto the bed with him, lying on his side and tucking her against him, her hands still covering her face.

 _Well played, mate!_ Cheered his libido, quite happy to finally have Sarah in his own chambers and more importantly – in his bed.

… _I can't believe she fell for it…._  He chuckled, happy that she had eagerly grasped hold of the idea of his room and clearly had been thinking about it since that is where they had ended up.

 _Indeed…but how long do you think she is going to willingly stay,_  grumbled his inner-voice already trying to come up with logical arguments to use on Sarah should she wish to leave immediately, and failing to come up with anything that might persuade her to stay longer.

… _Even if only a few moments, it was worth it just to see the look on her face…_

"Ja—reth," grumbled Sarah, shoving Jareth's shoulder, her emerald eyes flashed at him in frustration. "You did that on purpose."

"Whatever do you mean, Sarah? I did nothing except suggest that you think of where  _you_ wanted to be," he chuckled, nuzzling the side of her neck and breathing in the scent of her. "How was I know you'd want to be in my chambers? Not that I'm complaining, mind you,"

Sarah's mind seized once more at the sensation, a low gasp slipping past her lips as her eyes fluttered shut.

"Gaaah…"

"Yes, Precious? You were saying something….or attempting to?" he laughed, watching her reaction.

"You….cheated…" Sarah panted, trying desperately to ignore the sizzling feeling of his hot tongue as it traced patterns on her neck. "That is cheating."

Jareth leaned back a bit, his mismatched eyes shining impishly at her, "You wound me, Precious. I did nothing of the sort. In fact I was perfectly honest about where  _I_  would like to be. It is hardly my fault if you let  _your own_  imaginings of being in  _my bed_ … _with me_ … distract you from thinking of where you wanted to eat."

Seeing the bright flash of anger in her eyes, Jareth gave her a sly smirk before conjuring another crystal, letting it spin lightly upon his fingertips as his hand rested upon his hip. He couldn't help but grin as her eyes were drawn to the dancing crystal.

"I would be happy to arrange for breakfast here, Pet. Upon the balcony if you would like. Or…in bed…." he drawled, his eyes never straying from her face. "Whichever you would prefer."

Sarah growled low as she frowned at him, eyes snapping in warning. "Jareth…."

Laughing, Jareth moved the crystal back into her view. With a mock frown he sighed heavily, "If you insist, Precious…. Think of where you want to go and we'll go."

And go they had, as apparently this time, Sarah managed to avoid imagining herself and Jareth in any more compromising positions, and had in fact, forced herself to think of her favorite diner.

* * *

They arrived behind the diner and Sarah surprised Jareth by taking his hand and boldly leading him into the building through the kitchen door at the back.

"Peaches!" rumbled a burly, bearded man with a heavy accent as he greeted them, completely comfortable with the fact that she was dragging a strange man into the dining area through the kitchen entrance. "The usual?"

" 'morning Kosi," Sarah grinned, briefly placing a light kiss upon the older Greek man's cheek. "Two of my specials. Extra bacon on one."

Jareth was at first offended by the fact that Sarah kissed the other man, until he saw the man blush and look fondly at her, as a motherly grey haired woman came up, briefly sliding her arms around Kosi before greeting Sarah.

"Hi Sugar. Figured you'd be along this morning after the night you had," laughed the woman, her pale green eyes shining merrily.

"Um…so you heard about that, Una?" Sarah's face flushed brightly as her gaze dropped.

"Uh-huh. A bunch of the frat boys ended up here after the party broke up around 4am. Kept hearing stories about 'Sarah,' some dare involving a banana, and a heated body shots match. Not to mention they kept talking about some mysterious guy," Una said, glancing at Jareth with an appraising gaze. "So, I put two and two together and figured you'd be along for your favorite comfort-food brekkie. Just didn't think you'd be bringing a…friend with you," she teased, nodding her head in Jareth's direction.

Blushing further, Sarah didn't answer, merely grabbing Jareth's hand and dragging him toward the door, Una calling after them, "Don't think you're off the hook yet, missy!"

Jareth took everything in as Sarah led him into the diner. Being a Sunday morning it was crowded, the sounds of china and silverware clinking rhythmically amidst the wavelike hum of many people talking at once. Weaving through the crowded restaurant, Sarah settled him into a corner booth and slid in next to him. Without a word, she tugged a pair of dark sunglasses out of her purse and sighed blissfully as she covered her eyes to block out the bright rays piercing the windows that surrounded the diner. Leaning in close, Jareth brushed his lips across her cheek, mindful of the pain she must be in. Being used to drinking goblin ale, the tequila had no effect on him, however he could clearly see that Sarah was struggling.

 _You were a right bastard teasing her so much when she is hurting,_  scolded his inner-voice, the truth of the statement making him cringe.

… _I'll make it up to her…_

_As well you should._

Even his libido felt cowed by the fact that she was in pain.

Relaxing, Sarah leaned against Jareth, her head falling upon his shoulder. She had only thought to be comfortable, and was surprised when her shifted her body and his fingers found her temples. Sarah sighed deeply as tiny rushes of magic chased the pain from her face and eyes.

"You don't have to," she murmured, her eyes shutting at the heavenly feeling of his hands on her face.

His lips once more found her ear, tenderly caressing it as he whispered, "I want to, love. Let me do this for you."

"Hmm….keep touching me like that and you could do just about anything to me," she muttered, feeling the pain recede further as her limbs turned to jelly at his gentle touch.

A low chuckle swirled around her. She felt him smile against her cheek. "Had I known that merely touching you was the key to having my way with you, I would have done that the night you approached me in the library."

Sarah blushed, laughing softly. "You don't give up, do you?"

"When it comes to you, Precious….never."

"Good," she whispered, lost in the delicious sensation of his hands upon her face, leaving her libido and inner-voice speechless at her simple statement.

Before Jareth could fully consider the implications of what she had just said, their quiet embrace was interrupted by the arrival of their food.

"Two orders – Jareth's Revenge," commented the older woman, sliding two steaming platters in front of Sarah and Jareth.

"Two what?" asked Jareth raising an eyebrow in question as he looked from Sarah to the other woman and back again.

Giggling, Sarah waved a hand at Jareth, "Una meet Jareth. Jareth…Una. She and Kosi own the diner."

Jareth nodded at Una, smiling at the surprise on her face.

"Ahh…the infamous Jareth," she laughed. Seeing a table of frat boys waving their empty coffee mugs at her, Una patted Sarah's shoulder with a smile. "I'll leave Sarah to explain your brekkie. I have to keep the boys in the back full of coffee or else they will barge into the kitchen and pester Kosi for it."

Sliding a platter in front of Jareth, Sarah grinned before attacking her own large platter of food. Jareth eyed the platter in front of him, taking in the triple-stack of pancakes layered with thick slices of bacon and what appeared to be peach jam. With a sly smirk, Sarah cut into the stack of pancakes in front of her, then held the bite up to Jareth.

"Go on…give it a try. I invented the dish and it has become their best-selling weekend breakfast," Sarah urged, watching his face intently as he leaned forward and took the offered bite. "Buttermilk pancakes, with smoked maple bacon slices and my own recipe for peach compote."

Jareth accepted the fork, his eyes narrowing in confusion as he savored the combination. "Hmm…it tastes like…." His eyes opened wide in surprise as he licked his lips, a shocked look on his face. "But how?"

Sarah's face lit up in triumph, practically bouncing in her seat as she replied, "It tastes like the peach you had Hoggle give me."

Taking another bite, Jareth shook his head, "But that isn't possible… they don't grow here," he looked at her, before cutting another bite.

Smiling tenderly at him, Sarah explained as they ate, although he found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on the story while the silk of his shirt caressed her bare flesh.

* * *

"The first time I felt the craving was several weeks after I returned with Toby. I wanted peaches, so badly I thought I would die if I couldn't have them. I tried fresh peaches, canned, poached, jams, jellies and even preserves but none of them tasted right. They all were lifeless and dull, as if they had no color to them. Eventually, I stopped eating peaches all together. I mean, why bother if they didn't taste right and only made the craving worse?" she said with a shrug, her emerald eyes gazing off into the distance as she spoke, lost in her own memory.

"But the craving didn't go away. It was always there. Whenever I would think of the Labyrinth, my friends, my run or…or…" Sarah blushed, dropping her eyes to the platter in front of her, "even you…the craving would take off again. At times it tormented me to the point where I couldn't stand to eat anything else. Karen nearly had me hospitalized once because I refused to eat anything but peaches for an entire week."

Pausing, Jareth set aside his fork, frowning at the young woman beside him. With a gentle touch of her cheek, Sarah turned to look at him for the first time since beginning her story, her face flushed yet her eyes spoke of a yearning sadness that he had not seen before.

"Sarah," he said, the sound of his quiet voice seeming to blot out the noise of the diner until she heard only him, his words and quiet breathing, "Why didn't you call upon me, or your friends. Why suffer needlessly when we would have helped?"

Looking thoughtful, Sarah picked up a crispy slice of bacon and bit into it, savoring the smoky taste in contrast to the exotically spiced peaches.

"I didn't know if Hoggle or Sir Didymus could or would help me with getting more of the peaches. I thought maybe they were something that only you had access too and…well… we didn't exactly leave things on the best of terms so I didn't really feel I could just ask you for more peaches. Besides, I was afraid the craving was some kind of continued trap and I couldn't…." she sighed, returning to her food.

"You couldn't let me win…." He continued for her.

Sarah nodded, giving him a sheepish smile.

"So, after Karen threatened me with the hospital, I decided that my best bet would be to find some way to make our peaches taste as much like the peach you gave me as I could. It became an obsession. Took me the better part of two years, but I finally found a combination that worked. Turns out the trick is to cook an Aboveground peach with a touch of red chili, honey and cinnamon."

Jareth smiled and nodded as he ate, amazed at how close she had come to the taste of the peaches that grew in the Goblin Kingdom. She really did keep surprising him, although the fact that she craved Goblin Kingdom peaches so much was a mystery.

… _She should have forgotten all about the peach once she was home. Why did the taste affect her so?_  He mused, listening to her story.

"It go so that whenever I was feeling lost or sad, I would make this particular meal. It always made me feel better somehow. Then when I came to university, I was feeling really lost a couple of weeks into my first semester and I found my way to this diner. Una and Kosi were so welcoming and nice, that I asked if Kosi would cook a special dish for me. Comfort food, you know?" she asked, an almost bashful smile teasing her lips as she looked at him for confirmation. When he nodded, she continued. "I gave him a jar of my special jam and he made the dish. Some other people sitting near me that morning thought it looked good and asked if they could try it too. It became a hit. So I started coming in once a month to make a huge batch of my jam for them to use in the dish. After a month or so, Kosi wanted to put it on the menu and they asked what it was called. Without thinking I told them it was called 'Jareth's Revenge'…and the name stuck."

Sarah slid the last of her bacon around the syrup and peach juices that littered her now empty platter, before popping the bite into her mouth.

"Since it was you who made sure I ate the peach and with the way I kept craving more of that taste, it seemed like you were getting your revenge," she smiled sheepishly. "Even if it wasn't really your fault."

Pushing away his now empty plate, Jareth tucked her back into his arms, his chin resting lightly against the top of her head as he considered all she had told him.

"No, Precious. The craving is not something I planned or did consciously. In fact, once you returned home, you should have forgotten the taste of the peach and only remembered it as a ordinary tasting peach. I have no explanation for why you didn't. And the craving is a mystery. I have never heard of that happening, but then again, once runners return home I never have contact with them again."

Lost in thought, Jareth absent-mindedly ran his fingers over her arm, eliciting a low purr of contentment from Sarah. Flicking his tongue along the shell of her ear, he purred back at her with a smile, "I'm glad you found a way to satisfy the craving. However, should it return, you have but to ask and I will ensure that you are never left without that which you desire, Precious. No matter  _what_  that may be."

Sarah's libido squealed joyfully and melted into a hormonal puddle, while her inner-voice purred with delight – something it had never done before. Sarah shivered in his arms as the meaning struck home.

"You want to know something else, Jareth?" she asked quietly, giving a relaxed sigh as she melted further into his arms.

"Hmm?"

"It only just struck me that whenever I crave those peaches, the feeling of being lost is almost like being homesick…which is so odd. I mean, the Labyrinth isn't my home, so why would the craving and that feeling go together?" Sarah mused, sipping her coffee as she listened to his quiet breathing, the gentle rise and fall of his chest mesmerizing her.

Listening to her quiet rumination, Jareth finally realized why she was craving the peaches, a realization that shook him to his core with the meaning of it.

… _She will never believe me…._  he thought ruefully.

 _But you have to tell her,_  insisted his inner-voice.  _She has a right to know what has happened._

 _It might make her choose to stay. Or at least visit more often?_  Suggested his libido, sounding hopeful.

… _I can only hope…._

Pulling himself from his own thoughts, Jareth's fingers sought her chin, gently turning Sarah's face toward him, his lips caressing her own, a faint tinge of peaches and chili's burning between them.

"Now then, Precious… Breakfast has been eaten. Hangover drugs and coffee have been taken. Shall we return to what we were doing before you demanded food and finally put to rest of the teasing and promises of last night? Afterall, I should very much like to witness what you were doing early this morning, without the blanket this time…."

Sarah felt her face grow hot and laughed, the sound a sultry purr as she settled herself once more in his embrace. She trembled as the hand that was wrapped at her hip in a warm, yet reassuringly possessive manner slid upward, lightly teasing the side of her breast with only the thin silk of the shirt separating his powerful fingers from her heated flesh.

Swallowing hard against the lump that rose suddenly in her throat, Sarah gasped.

"Not so fast, Goblin King. Before you distract me any further with taunts, teasing and  _more_  promises of sensual delights, there is the not insignificant issue of this fantasy fulfillment that must be addressed. I don't want  _any more_  trick or surprises," she chuckled, gently elbowing him in the ribs at her words. "And you do seem to love throwing surprises at me."

"Give me the chance, Pet and I will fill your years with surprises of all types," he murmured, his strong fingers splaying along her ribs, thumb caressing her skin through the silk as he considered her words. "Well Dearest, you could just tell me what fantasy you would like me to fulfill, then we could head to the castle and take care of it."

At this Sarah laughed louder. Sitting up, she spun toward him, her emerald eyes dancing mischievously; oblivious to the jealous looks she was getting from a table of nearby girls.

"You are assuming that my fantasy can be fulfilled in your castle, as well as assuming that I even want to return to the Underground with you in the first place," Sarah countered, giving him a sly smirk. "I might have a much more mundane fantasy. Besides, that assumes I can decide which fantasy of mine that I want you to fulfill."

Jareth raised an eyebrow and looked at her, a devilish grin breaking over his face as he captured her lips once more, his voice rasping with desire when he spoke. "Hmm…so you have had more than one fantasy about me, Precious?"

Blushing Sarah protested, "I didn't say  _that_."

He chuckled darkly as her eyes darted away from his piercing gaze as if trying to escape. "Your eyes give you away, love," he purred knowingly. Pulling her back into his arms, he whispered low in her ear, "For you, Darling Sarah, I would be willing to extend the terms of the agreement to more than one fantasy. Merely say the word and you can have every fantasy fulfilled, as many times as you wish."

Frustrated with the needy sound of her own voice, Sarah panted, "We're getting side-tracked again, Jareth. One fantasy of mine for one of yours. That was the deal."

"But, Sarah…" he began, silenced only when she placed a finger over his lips, fingers he promptly sucked into his mouth and began to caress with his velvet tongue, running over their length and wrapping around them in a sensual massage of liquid warmth.

"Gah!" whimpered her libido and inner-voice, doing an impressive imitation of a goldfish as they gawped, lost in the delicious sensation of his mouth and tongue on her fingers.

For her part, Sarah moaned, the sound arcing sharply into Jareth's chest, making his skin burn heatedly with an ardor that surprised him.

"You know that I would turn the world upside down for you, Precious," he whispered urgently, his hand moving upward, gently cupping the slope of her breast, as her eyes slid shut.

Sarah gasped, remembering where they were and realizing that she was in grave danger of losing the entire war of lust and desire. The feeling of his hand tenderly caressing her made her mind short out, until all that was left was the electric feel of his magic dancing over her skin and into her very cells until it had consumed her whole.

With her last measure of self-preservation, Sarah finally found her voice once more. "One fantasy, Jareth. Let's start with one for one," she managed to gasp, struggling to get control of her body as it threatened to mutiny in favor of submitting to Jareth's oh-so-tempting-gotta-have-it-please-don't-ever-stop touch.

Jareth growled his frustration, his hand never stopping it's seductive caressing of her ribs and the underside of her breasts, knowing the sensation would keep her on edge.

"Very well, Pet," he nodded, his free hand conjuring a crystal under the table where only Sarah could see it. "Take the crystal, love."

Reaching out, Sarah took the crystal from his hand and gasped as it turned into a delicate silver chain that ended with a small crystal pendant. Jareth plucked the necklace from her hand and tenderly fastened it around her neck.

"Since you chose not to nominate a fantasy, neither will I. We shall let the Labyrinth choose for us." Turning Sarah toward him once more, Jareth held her pendant next to his own horned emblem of office, the two pendants pulsing with a soothing white light as they touched. "Searching our hearts and minds, between now and midnight on Halloween, the Labyrinth will determine our heart's deepest desire and when the time is right, will set the stage for our fantasy to be fulfilled. All we have to do is accept it."

Sarah's fingers lightly touched the glowing crystal pendant, before looking into his piercing eyes as they seemed to see into her heart. Seeing a flash of concern and distrust creep into her emerald eyes, Jareth kissed her, a teasing smirk lighting up his eyes.

"And just for you, my distrustful minx, I have set a four-hour time limit for each fantasy. At the end of that time, no matter where the fantasy itself takes place, you will be returned to your room and I to mine, and I will be unable to return Above to you for an additional four hours after that. So you have no reason to accuse me of trying to force you to remain anywhere. Does that meet with your standards of 'fair play', Pet?"

Grinning, Sarah nodded.

Leaning in close to her, his teeth tugged sharply on her earlobe, making her arch toward him in a delightfully wanton manner.

"Of course, regardless of what fantasy the Labyrinth chooses, I am still waiting to hear what your first fantasy of us entailed," he teased, a hand dragging slowly from her knee upward, creeping under the hem of her skirt to linger insistently upon her thigh, as long fingers lightly grazed the tender inner flesh.

Sarah whimpered at the touch, the feel of his fingers enflaming her further.

"In your dreams, Goblin King."

"Oh Pet, I would be only too happy to tell you my dreams of you, if only to watch you blush, squirm and pant at the very idea of what I would do to you," he murmured, his eyes gone dark with the desire that seemed to burn beneath his skin. "In the end, Precious I have only one true fantasy and I know you will fulfill it."

Drinking in his words, Sarah felt her stomach flutter painfully, her mind lost with dark images of just what his dreams for her might entail. Her libido was frantic as it flipped through all of the dark, sensual scenarios that it had created over the years, while her inner-self wondered just how much darker Jareth's fantasies might be. Without thinking she heard herself pant, the morbid curiosity and need evident in the throaty sound of her own voice, "What is that?"

"My greatest wish…." he whispered, his voice deep, seeping into her very soul. "Is to hear you beg…Beg for my lips…Beg for my touch…Beg…For release…Over and over…Begging me. Never. To. Let. Go."

And as her body trembled at his words, Sarah's inner walls crumbled; her resistance reduced to dust, releasing the torrent of desire and lust that she had so carefully hidden away. Sarah whimpered as the flood of lust washed over her, one word echoing from within the depths of her soul.

"Yes."

**NEXT CHAPTER: SARAH'S FANTASY!**

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**A/N:**  Okay gang…we are in the home stretch now…so prepare for LOTS of lemons, steaminess and all the good stuff. You've been so patient, so I'm going to reward you lots in the next 2-3 chapters! Just remember that writing lemons totally stresses me out, so bear with me as I fight my way to write the next couple of chapters to end this thing. :)


	10. Sarah's Fantasy

**Chapter 10: Sarah's Fantasy**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. I only borrow them every now and then for my own amusement (and some light housework from the goblins).

 **WARNING:**  This chapter is lemony. Some of my regular readers may want a cold-shower on stand-by.

 **A/N:**  Thanks for the reviews gang…I look forward to seeing what you think about this chapter (particularly since I am not sure if it is up to my usual lemony standards). I apologize for taking a whole week to write this chapter, but it got LOOOONG so, I'm sure the length will make up for the time. :)

_**As always….reviews are requested and cherished! They will also help me write the last two chapters faster (hint hint) – including the next chapter – JARETH'S FANTASY! :)** _

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**Ch. 10: Sarah's Fantasy**

_**Wednesday, October 29** _ _**th** _ _**6:27 p.m.** _

… _I feel like hell…._

 _Correction. Hell would be an improvement,_  groaned her inner-voice, noting the conspicuous absence of her libido, having been forced into hiding by the distinct lack of energy, sexual or otherwise, that was haunting Sarah's week.

Sarah stumbled her way up the front porch of the Alpha Chi Omega house, shoulders slumping and book-bag dragging the ground as she finally reached the top. Her brunette hair hung limply down her face, heavy drops of rain dripping from the ends to run haphazardly down her leather jacket. Peering at Sarah from the window of her room on the third floor, Patty and Squint shook their heads.

"Lady sad," frowned Squint, as Patty nodded her agreement. Looking at Sarah once more, Patty noted the raccoon-like smudges of mascara that had smeared around her eyes from the steadily driving rain.

Shivering from the rain, cold and the sodden state of her own clothing, Sarah waited at the top of the porch for the pledges to troop past her into the house, her emerald eyes snapping angrily at them.

"If any of you  _dare_  pull another stunt like that, I'll see to it you are the clean-up crew for  _every single frat party_  next semester. Understand me, ladies?" she snarled, the fury in her voice and posture making many of the pledges quiver in fear. "And you  _really_ don't want to clean frat house bathrooms after a party!"

"Yes, Pledge Mistress," they chorused obediently, before entering the house.

Sarah sighed and moved into the house, her anger easing as she trudged up the stairs toward her room. The week had started out so promising. She and Jareth finally made it to breakfast and worked out the latest negotiation relating to the fantasy fulfillment, all they had to do was wait and see what the Labyrinth decided to do with things.

After breakfast, Jareth spent the better part of an hour and another pot of coffee drawing decadent mental images for her about all of the sinfully wonderful things they could do if she would just return to the castle with him. Somewhere between deciding the rules for the fantasy exchange and finishing the dregs of the coffee pot, Sarah felt her resistance crumble and much to Jareth's surprise, agreed to return to the castle and hole up in his chambers for the rest of the day, only asking for his promise to return her by 6pm for her sorority meeting – a clause he happily agreed to. No tricks. No loopholes.

In all honesty, they both should have known that it would never go that smoothly.

As soon as she had decided to go with him and they made arrangements to pay for their breakfast, Janet, the president of the sorority swanned into the diner and made her way straight for Sarah. If looks could kill, the glares she got from both Sarah and Jareth would have seen her die hundreds of times over, especially when she informed Sarah that the pledges had been up to mischief overnight and it was her job to clean things up.

And there went Sarah and Jareth's afternoon of sensual delights – straight out the window courtesy of a bunch of pledges, who couldn't keep themselves out of trouble.

… _They are almost worse than goblins… 'cept I can't bog them…._

Monday afternoon, Sarah and Jareth met up for coffee, with every intention of finally ending up back at the castle. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for them once more. This time Jareth was called away by a wisher who then decided to run the Labyrinth. So, Sarah spent the evening torturing her pledges during study hours in the library, in retaliation for them ruining her plans for sexual bliss the previous day.

Tuesday wasn't much better. Instead of getting to go on a 'real' date since Sarah was so busy with projects for school, Jareth joined her at the library. Much to Sarah's surprise, he was remarkably helpful. In fact, the pledge mistresses from other sororities were quite jealous of the attention her 'boyfriend' gave her during the extended session of pledge study hours.

Sarah was stuck in the library Tuesday from 3 in the afternoon until one in the morning, either working on her own projects or keeping the pledges on task. Responding to the message she sent him in the morning about her plans, Jareth showed up at the library at 4pm to take up residence in the large leather armchair near the study-tables, never saying a word to Sarah. The lack of talking didn't hurt however, as she was happy just knowing he was there. An hour later she looked up and felt her heart twinge noticing he had left, only to feel her heart nearly burst when he reappeared, striding through the doors with two cups of coffee in his hands. Without a word, he placed one of the coffee cups next to her hand, dropped a gentle kiss upon her forehead, and went back to his chair in the newspaper section – his actions greeted with wistful sighs from both the pledges and the other pledge mistresses at her table. At 7 pm he disappeared once more, returning with another cup of coffee for Sarah and a sandwich, heedless of the longing looks from the other girl's at the table.

Once study hours finished at 9pm, Sarah and Jareth found their way to a private study room in the basement where he helped her study for her Psychology mid-term, rewarding her correct answers with kisses, caresses and enough touching to make her want to scream. While Sarah had no objection to his methods of motivating, it did have the regretful consequence of leaving both of them fairly bursting with unrequited lust, but unable to give in to it due to Sarah's exam.

Although Jareth would have dearly loved to transport them back to his chambers in order to spend all night working off the desire that burned within them, he was not about to suggest that she throw away a semester's worth of study for one night of passion, even when she swore that she would be able to live with the consequences of that. As much as it pained him to say it, he insisted that her studying, in this instance,  _had_  to come first – a move that left both his and her inner-voices speechless, while both libidos threw tantrums that would make a two-year-old look like a rank amateur.

Walking Sarah back to her sorority house at one in the morning, Jareth promised her that when her classes were done on Wednesday, he would come for her and they would finally retire to his chambers, not to come out until it was time for her classes on Thursday – which luckily didn't start until 2pm. It was just as well that they came to this arrangement, as both libidos were sure that they would spontaneously combust if they did not get some action soon.

No one ever said the path to love (or in this case, lust) ran smooth. And in their case, it was more like riding a tricycle down a gravel road with potholes the size of Volkswagon Beetles!

Wednesday…the day that should have been glorious due solely to the promise of sultry caresses and wicked delights turned into hell on wheels as far as Sarah was concerned. First, she got into a debate with her ethics professor during class, and none of her classmates had the balls to support her even though they agreed with her. Then she got stuck spending three hours during the middle of the day in the library editing English Composition papers for pledges who 'forgot' that the paper was due that day. Thanks to doing their editing, she didn't get a chance to eat lunch before going to her Psych mid-term at 2 pm. The mid-term itself was a nightmare of the first order, with Sarah spending much of the time second-guessing herself. Even though she knew the material, her confidence was shattered. Then, in her last class of the day, the professor decided to give a pop-quiz since most of the class clearly had not done the reading – including Sarah. In short, her day was a complete bust.

And just when Sarah wanted nothing more than find her way to Jareth's arms and forget about the hell that had been her week so far, the pledges struck again.

As she headed home from classes at 4, Sarah was stopped by Carrie and told that the pledges had used toilet-paper and silly-string to decorate the Lambda Chi fraternity house yard. So, Sarah and Carrie rounded up their naughty charges and marched them to the frat house. For two hours they stood in the cold October rain and supervised as the girls cleaned up every gooey bit of wet toilet paper and silly-string.

Sarah could have cried when she finally got to her room, but she didn't have the energy. Stripping off her coat, she jotted a hasty note to Jareth:

_Jareth,_

_Please forgive me, but today has been hell. I wouldn't be very good company for a dinner-date or anything more 'energetic' this evening. I promise to make up the date tomorrow, if you'll meet me for lunch and dinner tomorrow instead. All I want to do right now is curl up and sleep._

_I'm sorry._

_Sarah_

Handing the note to Patty, Sarah sighed. "Please deliver this to the King."

With a brief nod, Patty seemed to turn in upon herself, before vanishing with a soft 'pop', leaving Sarah alone in her room. Groaning, Sarah flopped down on her bed. Burying her head under the pillows, Sarah ignored the fact that she was dripping on the velvet and satin doona cover and tried to hide from the rest of the world.

"What I wouldn't give for a nice hot bath and a relaxing massage. I want to be so relaxed that I fall instantly to sleep," she muttered with a tired moan.

With her head hidden beneath the pillows, Sarah didn't notice the crystal pendant begin to pulse with a shimmering blue light, nor did she notice as her room shifted, becoming a swirling blue mist that gradually solidified to become an entirely different room. It wasn't until she heard the sound of running water that she pulled her head from under the pillows, and promptly squeaked in shock.

Gone was the mismatched and chaotic riot of color that was the hallmark of the room she shared with Carrie. Sarah was now sprawled on her stomach upon a king-size bed covered in a rich navy velvet comforter that was so fluffy she knew it had to be filled with real goose down. Gingerly sitting up, Sarah moved off the comforter, not wanting her damp clothes to ruin the luxurious fabric.

"Oh fuck!" she gasped, peering around her. "I'm definitely not in Kansas anymore," she giggled sheepishly. "Guess the Labyrinth has decided on a fantasy…but is it mine or Jareth's?"

 _If it is yours…which is it? You have lots of fantasies that involve the castle and Jareth….and you…_  asked her libido in shocked awe.

_...Good question… The only way to tell is to explore and see what else is here…._

The room was filled with heavy wooden furniture, each piece a perfect honey color that shone in the twilight that poured through the open windows of the balcony. The bed she had been laying on was huge, with a misty canopy of pale green gauze that seemed to flutter gently. In contrast to the navy colored bedding, the room featured a lush forest of greens that made it feel like a forest arbor. Looking closely at the walls and craning her head upward to look at the domed ceiling of the room, Sarah gasped at the intricately painted vines and flowers that were so realistic in their design, they seemed to shift and sway on an unfelt breeze.

At the foot of the bed was an elaborately carved fireplace with a fire dancing merrily in the grate, the soothing heat washing over the rest of the room. To the right of the fireplace was a closed door and to the left was what Sarah hoped was a bathroom, as it was the source of the sound of running water. Listening to the musical quality of the water, Sarah tried to figure out what it reminded her of…

…  _A babbling brook…._

Quick steps allowed her to peek through the bathroom door, only to be mesmerized by what she found. A deep sunken tub set into the floor that was easily the size of a five person hot-tub Aboveground. The tub was full of steaming water and a cascade of thick white bubbles. Even more amazing was the way the tub was being filled. Along one wall of the room was a rock fountain that looked like a mountain brook, water cascading down the rocks on the wall, to fall into the tub. The window next to the tub was a large stained glass picture of a water nymph, sunning herself upon a lily-pad in a crystal blue pond.

 _Well…you did wish for a relaxing soak in a tub. And you do have several fantasies involving a tub,_  suggested her inner-voice.

 _Yes, but you also have several tub fantasies that involve a tub like this and a very naked Jareth!_  Squealed her libido happily, as it looked around expecting Jareth to glitter-poof in – preferably as naked as the day he was born – were Fae even born that way, it paused to ask.

… _True….but I'm not going to think about that now…._

 _Why the hell not?_  Pouted her libido, still hoping a naked Jareth was not far off.

… _Because for the moment I have a huge bath waiting for me and no pledges, goblins or Goblin Kings to interrupt it. So I have every intention of enjoying it…._ She thought, although if she was honest with herself, the idea of sharing it with a certain Goblin King  _did_ present some rather delicious possibilities.

Sarah smiled as she breathed deep, bathing her senses in the sweet scent of lavender and lilac that floated through the room like a mist. Carefully, she slid out of her wet clothing, hanging her clothes on a hook near the door. Picking up several fluffy blue towels from a stack on the shelf, she laid them next to the tub and gently eased her sore, cold body into the steaming water with a content sigh. She couldn't even remember the last time she took a bath, much less had a bathroom completely to herself.

Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the edge of the tub, letting her body float blissfully in the heated water, gentle currents seeming to come out of nowhere to caress her aching body.

"The only thing that would make this better would be some iced water or something else cold to drink," she murmured to herself, feeling her body shift gently as water continued to spill into the tub from the artificial spring in the wall.

Hearing a gentle clinking noise, Sarah cracked her eyes and noticed that a small table had appeared near her head. On the table sat a tray holding a pitcher of iced water and a carved glass carafe. Careful not to slosh water out of the tub, Sarah turned to sniff the contents of the carafe.

"Oh my God…peach juice," she gasped, her eyes wide as her mouth began to water incessantly.

Nibbling her lip in thought she considered drinking some of the peach nectar, however her fear that it might increase the cravings when she got home stopped her, in favor of the iced water. Pouring a glass she sipped it, before immersing herself back into the tub and letting the gentle ripples of the water lull her into a sleep-like state.

* * *

…  _The gardens. I really must show her the royal gardens. And the tower room. It really does have the best view of the Labyrinth, not to mention it is the most secluded room in the castle…._

 _Gardens? Are you mad?_  Snapped his libido in frustration, unable to believe that the King was planning a tour of the kingdom and castle rather than how best to woo Sarah and ensure that she remained permanently within the kingdom, if not the King's bed.  _If she returns to the kingdom….._

… _ **When**_ _…not if…._ _ **when**_ _…._  Jareth corrected, he was sure she would return, it was only a matter of when.

 _Fine…_  conceded his libido with a frown…  _ **When**_ _she returns, I can't believe your primary concern is showing her around!_ …it continued indignantly.

… _IF you had let me finish, the tower not only has the best view and is the most secluded room in the castle, it also has the largest bed…._

 _Oh…_  replied his libido thoughtfully _… it does at that… Carry on with your planning, mate!_

… _Indeed…._

Jareth was lounging in his own bath preparing for his evening with Sarah and his long-awaited chance to bring her to the castle and become  _very_  well-acquainted with her, when a timid knock upon the door pulled him from his reverie.

"Enter!" he barked with a huff.

Having threatened the castle goblins with being bogged then cast into an oubliette for the next month if they disturbed him tonight, he couldn't believe any of them had the outright audacity to ignore his warning. The tiny goblin that Sarah called 'Patty' stuck her head around the door, hesitant to enter the Kings bathing area. Her hesitancy wasn't helped by his brusque order, in fact the poor goblin shook uncontrollably as she slipped into the room. Holding out her hand, she slunk across the room, her amber eyes resolutely on the mosaic tiles upon the floor, waiting for the King to take the note from her hand. As soon as he took the, she turned and fled from the room, leaving Jareth chuckling at her haste. However, upon reading the note, his amusement disappeared.

"Damn… why does this keep happening?" he frowned, slouching into the water as he tried to come to grips with the fact that his plans for Sarah were once again on hold since she was not coming to the castle as planned.

Seething with frustration, Jareth didn't notice his pendant begin to glow a faint blue until the metal began to burn against his chest, sending faint electric pulses into his skin. Curiously, he lifted the pendant from his chest, holding it out of the water as he looked at it.

… _A fantasy has been decided upon. Is it mine or Sarah's?..._

 _What? You mean you can't tell?_  Asked his libido, not really caring who the fantasy belonged to, so long as it involved Sarah, preferably nude.

As he looked at the pendant, the blue glow expanded until it appeared as a blue crystal that hovered before him. Inside the crystal he could see Sarah reclining in a large bathtub, her eyes closed as she sighed peacefully. With a faint smirk, he watched as she floated in the water, her hands idly sliding over her shoulders, down over the curve of her breasts, to dive beneath the water. Unaware that she was being watched, he saw her breath catch as her back gently arched upward, a small moan hanging in the air.

… _Starting without me, are you, Precious?..._  he chuckled.

 _What are you waiting for, mate? Go join her?_  Ordered his libido, nearly beside itself at the thought of a naked Sarah immersed in water, with nothing to protect her silken skin from his hungry eyes, but a mass of frothy bubbles.

 _Is it your fantasy or hers?_  Insisted his inner-voice with a thoughtful look.

… _I don't know. Although I have had my share of fantasies involving her and my bath, but she isn't in my bath…_

 _Yes, I'm pretty sure you'd know it if she were in here with you._  Snarked his libido with a petulant sniff.  _Where the hell is she and how fast can you get there?_

Seeing the decorated window near her, Jareth smiled, his eyes flashing brightly at the view. He knew exactly where Sarah was, and she was much closer than he had anticipated.

* * *

Purring happily, Sarah let herself sink fully into the tub, dropping below the surface only to reappear, rivulets of bubbles and bathwater streaming down her face. Brushing the water away with a manicured hand, she sighed once more. Laying back in the water she let herself float, the bubbles lightly caressing her bared flesh that floated above the surface. Sarah smiled quietly, losing herself in the relaxing sensation of hearing underwater, the strange combination of echoing silence and the way the water chimed lightly against the sides of the bathtub, combined with the ever present trickling of water from the spring upon the wall.

The scented oil in the water engulfed her senses, while clinging to her skin, allowing her hands to skim effortlessly over her flesh. Pushing the day from her mind, Sarah's hand lightly caressed the thin skin between her breasts, before gliding lower, tracing a path around her bellybutton. A soft sigh tumbled from her parted lips as she let her hand slip lower still, teasing lightly at the sensitive nub that seemed to pulse with her every heartbeat.

With her ears still below the surface of the water, Sarah didn't hear the door to the bathroom open, nor did she see Jareth as he crept silently into the room, swathed only in a rich robe of black brocade and velvet. Once inside, he paused, leaning lightly against the door to watch knowingly as she continued to tease herself.

"Well…are you going to stand there looking at me, or are you going to join me and give me… _a hand_?" came the sultry purr from the tub, a sly smirk gracing her ivory features as her emerald eyes cracked to peer at him briefly, before sliding shut once more.

"As my lady wishes," Jareth drawled with a mischievous grin, letting the robe slide from his shoulders to pool in a mass of fabric upon the floor.

Moving toward the tub, Jareth never took his eyes off the brunette in the bath, drinking in every hitch in her breathing, arching of her back and the slight muscle twitches in her arms that whispered of what her hands were doing beneath the water. Jareth hissed softly as he stepped into the bath near her feet, the water being hotter than his own had been. Settling himself against the end of the tub opposite her, Jareth slid one foot along the outside of her calf, smiling when he was rewarded with a contented sigh from Sarah.

"So tell me Pet, how did you know I was here?" he asked, still entranced by the sight of her face as she continued to touch herself below the water.

Sarah allowed herself to float a moment longer before forcing her hips to sink deep into the water as she leaned once more upon the wall of the bath. Jareth's eyes never left her face, watching as she sipped from her glass, before holding the cold glass against her base of her throat, the condensation dripping onto her heated skin. Letting out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, Jareth realized that he was almost expecting to hear the droplets sizzle as they ran down her neck to dive between the swell of her breasts.

"Your scent, Jareth," she murmured, sitting her glass aside once more as she looked at him through hooded green eyes. "Although, I admit to being surprised that you were wearing a robe when you arrived, that was never part of my fantasies."

Chuckling, Jareth sunk beneath the water, wetting himself completely before resurfacing. He could feel her eyes boring into him, intently watching his every movement, her own body fairly quivering as if waiting to see what he would do.

"Ahh…so you admit to fantasizing about you and me in a bath," he said.

His voice was low, a vocal caress that seemed to reach inside her and tickle her very soul, reassuring her that this was right. She was safe. Lulled by the warmth of his voice and the faint stirring of his legs as they lightly brushed hers beneath the water, Sarah relaxed once more against the side of the tub, her eyes falling shut as she sighed deeply.

"Can you honestly say you haven't dreamt about the same?"

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of denying it, Precious. The question now is, whose fantasy is it that we are here to fulfill? Yours. Or mine?"

Jareth paused, cocking his head as he watched the thoughtful expression that flitted across her face, all the while his libido screamed at him.

_Ravish her! Then sweep her back to your chambers next door and do it again! And again! Until you are both too exhausted to move!_

Admittedly, Jareth rather liked the idea, but that went against the rules of engagement (such that they were) and if there was one thing Jareth obeyed, it was rules – particularly when there were no loopholes. And Sarah had been quite adamant about there being no loopholes in this particular bargain.

Still warring with the insistent pleading of his libido, Jareth raised an eyebrow in surprise when Sarah suddenly pushed away from the wall of the tub, draping both arms over the side as she poured juice into a goblet. Licking his lips hungrily, he drank in the view before him, his eyes glued to the gentle swell of her breasts as they pressed against the side of the tub, while her hair streamed down her back. Droplets of water raced along the delicate curve of her spine to meet the bubbles that clung to her lower back offering him a tantalizing glimpse of the rounded globes beneath. She was breathtaking and she was here. With him. At last. The fact that she was completely nude didn't hurt matters either, as the heat that coursed through his veins at the sight of her could attest.

Turning toward him, Sarah lifted the goblet to her lips, a mysterious smile teasing her lips as she looked at him. She took a deep drink from the glass, before gliding through the water toward him, water sloshing gently around them as she floated to a stop in front of him. Her breasts lightly caressing his chest as her free hand slid up to cradle the nape of his neck, tenderly urging him forward until she captured his lips with hers. Her tongue danced lightly over his lips, an invitation he gladly accepted, his lips parting to drink of the nectar she offered willingly.

With a seductive smirk, her tongue caressed his lips and chin, collecting the spilled drops of nectar, her voice a sultry hum when she finally spoke.

"I think it must be mine," she said, turning her body around and settling herself between his thighs, her back pressing against his chest, pretending not to hear the sharp intake of breath that he sucked through his teeth at the touch of her body to his. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she rubbed her back against his chest, relishing the firm feel of muscle, while marveling at the silken feel of his flesh as it slid sensually against her own. "But, the room is different. Are we in the castle or is this a room the Labyrinth made up for the fantasy?"

"This is the Goblin Queen's chambers," he explained with a quiet chuckle. "And before you object and threaten to rush out, virtue fluttering and indignant protests flying, I have no queen, Precious.  _Not yet_ , anyway."

 _ **She**_ _should be Queen,_  grumbled his inner-voice.

…  _Apparently the Labyrinth agrees with that idea. Why else would it place us here, in this room?..._

_Why indeed._

With a sigh she leaned her head against his shoulder, taking another sip from the goblet. Wrapping his arms around her, Jareth's thumbs lightly dancing against the underside of her breast, biting back a groan at the feeling of her bare flesh against his.

"Well, Pet…if this is your fantasy, I guess you had better tell me what it involves. Unless you'd like  _me_  follow my own desires and turn it in to  _my_ fantasy," he teased, his teeth tugging on her earlobe, making her gasp. "And believe me, I have no problems with doing that. I promise you'd enjoy it."

Sarah laughed, the sound a gentle purr that hummed against his chest. "Hmmm… of that I have no doubt. It is rather tempting just to let you have your way…."

"…with you? I thought you'd never ask," Jareth whispered darkly, tilting her head to the side and abruptly fastening his teeth upon the taut tendon in her neck, sucking it sharply into his mouth as she whimpered, a heated moan floating upon the scented air of the room.

Sarah trembled in his arms, a volcanic flush creeping up her chest, across her face, to hide in her hairline. The boldness Sarah had been feeling until this point faltered.

… _How on earth can I tell him what I dream about?..._

 _First you have to figure out which fantasy you are supposed to be fulfilling. Heaven knows you have several fantasies that start out just this way,_  drooled her libido while exhibiting an incredible amount of restraint by not suggesting that she stop talking and jump the uber-sexy-oh-so-naked-and-snuggled-up-against-her Goblin King.

"It is hard to say. I have several fantasies that begin this way. I think the Labyrinth was reacting to the absolutely hellish day I had," Sarah gasped, whimpering at the loss of his mouth as he released her neck, then sighing happily as his hands found their way to her shoulders, strong fingers gently massaging the knotted muscles. "It was a rotten day. No lunch. Stuck standing around in the rain for hours. All I wanted was a hot bath and a massage. To relax completely."

"To be cared for," he murmured softly in her ear, as his hands kneaded further down her arms, eliciting a quiet moan of agreement from Sarah at his touch. "All I need to know is how relaxed you want to be, Love. A little relaxed, or immobile from the neck down? Hmm?"

Sarah's libido squealed and promptly fainted, much to the relief of her inner-self who was feeling more than a bit hot'n'bothered by current events, a completely new feeling for the usually rational side of herself.

"Immobile. Immobile sounds good," Sarah panted, her mouth suddenly dry as the realization that she was naked, in a bathtub, with Jareth, her childhood villain (and dream sex-god) who was promising to make her so relaxed she couldn't move.

…  _I turned my dreams down once….and here he is offering them to me again…._

 _Hot damn! Dreams do come true!_  Moaned her libido, a sentiment shared by her inner-voice.

…  _Eloquently put…._

It was when Jareth's hands moved from her arms to lightly cup her breasts that Sarah finally gave in and let the fantasy become her reality. She focused solely on his hands and the feel of his body as it seemed to wrap around her, his thighs tightening against hers, seeming to hold her in place against him. Relaxing into his body, Sarah let her eyes drift shut once more, a tiny whimper sliding from her parted lips as his thumbs brushed the sensitive flesh of her nipples, making her arch reflexively toward his hands. A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest, making her face burn hotter.

"You blush so delightfully, Precious. I can't wait to see the look on your face when you finally co…..."

"Less talking…more touching," Sarah retorted, surprised by her own boldness.

"My pleasure…. Well…. Mutual I should think," he whispered, his voice hinting at pleasures yet to come. "In order to relax you, Pet….I think we'll need to work off some of your…  _tension_ … first. Hmmm?"

The sound of his voice and the carefully chosen words did their work, making her quiver against him, her breath catching in her chest as his fingers lightly pinched at the fleshy nubs, eliciting another moan from Sarah. Letting his teeth tug once more on her earlobe, Jareth palmed her breasts, the gentle ridges of his hands teasing as his fingers kneaded the soft flesh. He purred against her ear, entranced by the soft moans and whimpers each caress pulled from her throat.

… _. She is so responsive… Just as well these rooms are sound-proofed…wouldn't want her to scare the goblins when she finally lets go…._

Sarah's heart lurched in her chest as Jareth's hands moved from her breasts, caressing over her stomach, his fingers splayed to glide over her abdomen. As his hands firmly stroked her belly, she felt her heart begin to race, while lava seemed to pool deep within her, dripping toward her core, as if seeking some way to vent all of the years of frustration and want that had plagued her since he had first come into her life. What her 15 year old self fearfully wanted, her adult self-welcomed - the Goblin King's touch and the promise of more. Much more.

Jareth's touch lightened, his fingertips teasing along her hips, tracing unseen symbols and sigils into her heated flesh before sliding lower, tickling across the top of her thighs as they sought her center, the source of all her tension and frustration. His hands stopped, water swirling away from them to lightly caress her aching core, the touch enough to be maddening, but not enough to tease further or grant the release she was now desperately wanting.

"You need this, don't you Precious," he drawled in honeyed tones that electrified her senses, making every nerve crawl, her nipples tightening painfully in response. "Admit it…."

From his position behind her, Jareth missed the impish grin that twisted her lips, her emerald eyes flashing defiantly as she raked her nails lightly up the outside of his thighs, chuckling at his sharp intake of breath.

"No dice, Goblin King," she purred. "I admit nothing," she said, wriggling her back closer to him in a lascivious dance, pressing the length of him against the base of her spine.

Giving a low snarl at the wanton wriggle, Jareth latched his teeth on to her shoulder, enjoying her soft cry as his teeth pinched into her flesh. Moving swiftly, his legs slid free of hers, to come down along the inside of her knees, pinning them open against the bottom of the tub – all the while his hands never moved, staying motionless mere millimeters away from her slick folds.

"Say it," He growled insistently, his teeth and lips worrying the bite marks on her shoulder.

A sultry laugh was the only reply, as Sarah arched her back, her arms lifting with sinewy grace, to drape around his neck. Twisting her neck back, she flicked her tongue over his chin, tiny teeth nibbling the sensitive skin as his grip on her legs tightened.

"Say it…or else….."

"Or  _what_  Goblin King?" she challenged, her voice a silken humm.

"Or I stop touching you and toss you into a dungeon until you give in," he threatened with mock fierceness, eliciting a giggle from Sarah as she squirmed, her rounded ass grinding further against him.

"Liar…." Sarah laughed, nipping the underside of his chin sharply, making him hiss. "You wouldn't do that for two reasons. First, it goes against the rules that you agreed to. Second, the four hour rule – the Labyrinth would only send me home at the end of the time. So you'd lose on both counts."

Being thwarted by her sheer stubbornness and an unprecedented amount of logical reasoning given the current level of naked-teasing going on, Jareth merely growled, his legs forcing hers to open further as his fingernails grazed along the tender flesh of her inner thighs, making her gasp heatedly.

"Wench…."

"Besides…" Sarah moaned, her body undulating against his. "I might decide your dungeon is my new fantasy, and  _then_  where would that leave us?"

Jareth groaned, unsure if it was from her words or her nails dragging slowly along his bare shoulders and neck, while his eyes were drawn to the exposed peaks of her nipples dancing above the dwindling mass of bubbles.

… _I always knew she was my equal… She never ceases to amaze me…._

"If it is a night in the dungeon that you crave, Precious, you have but to ask," Jareth murmured, his hands massaging her inner thighs. "I promised I would fulfill any fantasy you wish. My body," he said, punctuating his words by pulling her back tight against the throbbing hardness of him that was trapped between them, "and skills are at your disposal, Pet."

Sarah's defiance melted once more as her libido dissolved into a throbbing puddle of hormone driven lust.

Letting his fingers dance ever closer to her center, Jareth smiled against her shoulder, feeling her body melt into his. Marveling at the heat that poured from within her, with teasingly light strokes, he let his fingers slide along the slippery folds, dipping with agonizing slowness to barely caress the hidden entrance, before dancing away; the taunting touches leaving her gasping, her hips arching toward his hands seeking more.

"Say it…" he insisted with a smirk, dragging his sharp teeth along her shoulder as his fingers continued their torment.

Sarah moaned low, feeling her face burn hotter. It was one thing to want to give in to his touch, since giving in allowed her to hide behind the idea that she was merely going with what he wanted. But it was something else entirely to have to acknowledge that she wanted it. There was no hiding from the truth once the words were uttered.

… _.Cruel bastard….He knows words have power…._

_Yeah…and you love it. Admit it….you crave his kind of cruelty._

… _I do… so help me I do…._  she sighed inwardly.

"Yes…" she breathed so quietly she couldn't even hear her own reply, but his keen hearing did. "I need this," she whispered, whimpering needfully as two fingers suddenly pierced her heat, her body clamping around them in response. "Oh Gods…" she panted. "This was my first fantasy."

It was Jareth's turn to groan, his eyes falling shut at her admission. He was her first fantasy and now he was in a position to fulfill it. It was beyond anything he had ever dared to hope for.

Abandoning all thought, save the feeling of Jareth's fingers, inside her and around her, teasing and taunting as they moved over her sensitive skin, Sarah surrendered herself to his touch, and was not disappointed. His fingers played over her flesh, drawing forth a torrent of gasps and moans, as if playing an instrument. In mere moments, she felt the surge of heat within her seem to build, and with a deft flick of his thumb against the throbbing bundle of nerves, it exploded, rocketing through her body as a series of violent spasms forced her to impale herself further on his fingers. Feeling her body react, Jareth gave a low growl, his teeth and lips finding purchase on her neck, relishing Sarah's reaction – a keening cry of pleasure that echoed throughout the room, followed by inarticulate whimpers and pants as she continued to ride the crest of the sensation, his fingers urging her onward, until she finally collapsed against him, gasping for air.

Dropping feather-light kisses down her neck and along her collarbone, Jareth's fingers tenderly traced her slick and swollen flesh, before gliding effortlessly up her body, to settle possessively across her stomach. The room was silent except for soft panting from Sarah and a self-satisfied purr from Jareth, his arms cradling her against his body.

"More relaxed now, Pet?" he asked quietly, his hands tenderly grazing her abdomen, as if tracing mystic patterns upon her skin.

Sighing contentedly, Sarah nodded, "It is a good start."

 _Now will you take her?_  Demanded his libido, as certain parts of his anatomy strained painfully at the thought.

… _No…_

 _Are you mad?_  Shouted his libido in disbelief.  _She is here. Naked. And willing! Why wait?_

… _Because it is her fantasy. Not. Mine….._

 _NOW you decide to get all noble? Chivalry isn't your usual playbook,_  snarked his libido.

… _No….but this is Sarah I'm dealing with and she is anything but usual… I must get this right if I hope to continue with the chance to fulfill all of her fantasies….and a few more of my own in the bargain…._

Nuzzling against her ear, Jareth hummed softly, the musical lilt seeming to flow through her very being, making her tremble in his arms.

"So tell me, Sarah… what else does this fantasy include?"

"Honestly?"

"Always, Precious…."

Sarah leaned her head against his chest, her hands tracing down his forearms, lingering lightly over the defined muscles, which before now had always been hidden beneath shirtsleeves. With a soft smile her hands came to rest over his, fingers entwined as two pairs of hands lay over her belly.

"I don't know," she said, vaguely embarrassed by her own admission. "It was my favorite fantasy on bad days, but since it was my first it was always….somewhat simplistic and…well….incomplete."

A sultry purr rumbled from his chest. "Well…how about letting me fill in the blanks?"

Sarah froze considering the world of possibilities hidden within his simple words. Her libido cheered wildly and streaked from one dark corner of her mind to the other, rousting out every naughty fantasy she had ever had about Jareth. Her inner-voice….well…it just stood there gawping, still trying to come to terms with just what part of Jareth's anatomy was currently poking (rather insistently) into Sarah's lower back.

"Trust me, Love….I promise you won't regret it."

Behind her closed eyes, Sarah's world turned upside down at the thought.

"It isn't regret I'm afraid of," she whispered, unnerved by the needy rasp that colored her voice.

Lifting one of her hands as it was entwined with his, Jareth placed a tender kiss upon her palm, his voice a chocolate caress that slid with seductive intent into her heart.

"What it is that you are afraid of then, Sarah?"

"Never getting enough…."

* * *

Sarah was in heaven.

She had thought that when her initial fantasy, of being in the bath with Jareth had played itself out, she would be sent back to her room. But true to his word, Jareth began filling in the blanks, and she rather liked the way his mind was working.

Deftly sliding one arm under her knees, while the other cradled her against his chest, Jareth rose and carried her from the room, heedless of the drops of water that fell from their bodies as he moved. She wasn't sure what she expected him to do, but this was definitely not it. As they entered the Queen's Chambers, a door opened and Jareth carried her through it, coming into another bedroom swathed in deep burgundy and black. It was at that point she knew without a doubt that they were in his room.

"Guess you got to have me in your room tonight after all," she laughed softly, looking into his face, mesmerized by the elegant angles of his cheekbones and the arching features over his eyes.

"You are here yes…and  _I will_  have you, Pet.  _That_  is a promise," he drawled silkily, continuing to carry her across the room and through another door.

Sarah blushed, realizing what she had said. For once, her libido had no response, it merely quivered at the sight of Jareth's nude form and drooled in a rather unbecoming fashion. Her inner-self on the other hand, was completely catatonic.

Entering his bathroom, Sarah barely had time to register that the tub was still full, before he stopped in a stone recess. Gently Jareth lowered her to her feet, her wet body sliding sensuously down his own until she stood facing him, her arms still draped over his shoulders. With a small gesture of his hand, water began to pour from the top of the recess, like a spring rain that washed over them, fat drops of warm water running down their bodies. Impulsively Sarah leaned up, capturing his lips with hers once more, moaning against him as the electric pulse of magic shivered through her, as if trying to light up each cell in her body and make them glow. The taste of him made her blood race, traces of chocolate, cinnamon and peach combined with the exotic smell of him – Sarah's senses were on overload. And she no longer cared.

As his tongue danced over hers with velvet kisses too long denied, his hands ran down her back, slowly tracing every curve until they came to rest, cupping her ass and drawing her closer to him. The feel of his hard body against hers made her gasp into his mouth, the sound eagerly swallowed as he deepened the kiss, demanding more of her and accepting nothing less than what he wanted. And through it all, the liquid heat inside her began to pulse, dripping slowly from her core, making her squirm wantonly in his arms.

Unable to bear not touching him, Sarah's hands slid down over his arms, to drag her fingernails lightly over his chest. Clipping his nipples with her nails, Jareth hissed, the sound making Sarah smirk as her nails grazed further down his toned abdomen. Lower. Lower. Until she raked her fingernails along his hips, eliciting a low groan of desire from his throat, his hands suddenly grasping hers and wrenching them away from his body.

"But…." She breathed in protest, straining against his grip to return to touch his skin.

"You had your chance to request your fantasy, Precious," he chuckled wickedly, kissing her soundly to stop any further protest on her part. Pulling back, he looked at her, his eyes dark pools that seemed to suck any defiance out of her. "Now let me take care of you... Immobile…." he teased with a wolfish grin. "Wasn't that what you wanted?"

Sarah nodded in awe as he released her hands, pressing them around his neck once more.

Without another word, Jareth began to wash her. Starting at her head and moving gradually toward her feet, Jareth lathered his hands with the sweet smelling soap, then tenderly rubbed them over her flesh, stroking away the tension from the day and banishing all of the stress. Down her arms his fingers ran, firmly caressing every muscle. Across her back and around her ribs, massaging her breasts and the gentle swell of her hips. In all of her wildest dreams, nothing compared to this one moment, this feeling of being utterly wanted. Completely cared for. Adored. She wanted nothing more than to stay here forever, in this one moment in time.

Losing herself in the feeling of his hands as they slid over her body, Sarah was only dimly aware of him kneeling, the sight of his unruly hair pelted under the gentle raindrops from above making her smile in wonder, while blushing.

Sarah's hands wound their way into his hair, marveling at the softness of it, even as the water weighed it down.

"Jareth…you shouldn't…. _(Ahhh!)…_ do….this…." she gasped, as his hands massaged her thighs, before kneading her ass and hips. "You're…a… _(Oh God!)…._ King."

He looked up at her, mismatched eyes looking piercingly into hers.

"No more protests, Pet or I will turn this into my fantasy and gag that pretty mouth of yours," he growled, the words sending a shiver rocketing up Sarah's spine as her knees wobbled, unable to decide if he was being serious or teasing.

"You never know….I might like that," she purred, surprised at her own words and the fact that uttering them made her blood run like lava through her veins, to churn heatedly in her belly.

Running his soapy hands further up her thighs to caress the hidden folds, still slick from his earlier teasing, Jareth laughed, the sound a low roar, making Sarah's head swim as the sound ricocheted around the small alcove. Hooking his fingers inside her silken channel once more, he gave her a laconic smirk, watching her arch upon his fingers, a sharp gasp squeaking from her lips.

"Keep pushing, Pet and you'll find out sooner rather than later."

Unable to help herself, Sarah continued to bait him, "Oh…and were you planning to do that later…."

"That and much more, Precious. You have no idea what I have planned for you," came the reply, his clipped tone and words seeming to strike a chord deep within her.

… _Clever bastard…._

 _Oh Gods yes!_  Moaned her libido, quivering lustfully.  _Please just jump him!_

… _.And if he is serious about the gag….what do you think he'd do if I tried to jump him?..._

 _Tie you to his bed and do wonderfully wicked things to you for days on end?_ Suggested her libido, being its usual 'helpful' self.  _Who cares?_   _It would soooo be worth it!_

Sarah was having a hard time arguing with that logic, especially when Jareth had finished rinsing the soap from her body and began to lick up her legs with long, slow, drags of his tongue. Over the top of her thighs, behind her knees, along her calves, before teasing along her inner thighs. Teasing. Taunting. Touching. But never caressing the point that most ached for him.

… _Correction….Complete and utter bastard…._

_Gah!_

Then his tongue moved further upward, sliding around her belly, dipping into her bellybutton and making her squeal as it tickled. Up. Up. Gliding with languid strokes that twirled around each nipple – just enough to tease, but offer no relief. Up. Up. Sliding along her collarbone, his lips caressing and nipping at the bony-outcropping before swiftly latching onto her earlobe once more, eliciting a needy grunt that made Sarah blush hotly.

Pulling her from the shower recess, Jareth proceeded to gently pat her dry with a fluffy towel, the feel of the towel against her sensitive areas making her gasp and quake. Sarah blushed deeply as Jareth dried her, as if it only just occurred to her that she was thoroughly naked in front of him, one arm snaking up to cover her breasts, while the other slid toward the juncture of her thighs. She felt her skin flush hotter as he 'tsk-ed' at her, his eyes shining with a bemused smirk.

"A bit late for modesty, don't you think, Love?"

Turning her around to dry her back, he dragged the towel over her skin, until it fairly glowed, before peppering the back of her neck with heated kisses.

"There now, Pet. All clean.  _(…For the moment at least….)_  Just in time to see how dirty I can make you before our time is up," Jareth whispered, his eyes laughing at the glazed expression that washed over her face as her mind seized at the mere thought of what he might mean.

Oh yes. While her first fantasy may have already been fulfilled, new ideas were already forming in her lust-addled brain. New fantasies that seemed to stand a very good shot of coming true before this very night was through.

* * *

"More?"

Shaking her head, Sarah smiled, letting out a contented sigh as she leaned against his chest. When Jareth tweaked to the fact that her fantasy was to be cared for, she never imagined that she would be bathed by him, and then end up on his lap, in front of a roaring fire, wrapped up in one of his dressing gowns while he fed her. But… here she was. And she wasn't complaining one little bit.

Spoonful by luscious spoonful he fed her a thick stew of meat and vegetables, interspersed with bites of fresh bread slathered in honey butter and topped off with…

… _.Peaches and cream….what else could I expect?..._

 _You should've offered to eat the peaches only if you could lick the cream off his chest,_  grumbled her libido, flashing mental images of just how yummy Jareth would look covered in cream.

 _That would have only led to Jareth fantasy #73,_  quipped her inner-voice, having finally come to her senses after the mind-bending orgasm in the bath, which required a complete 'reboot' of her inner-self and her in-built 'rationality' programming.

… _Hmm…#73 was always one of my favorites..._  Sarah smiled to herself, snuggling blissfully against Jareth's chest. …. _Maybe next time…. Next time? Wow. I'm already thinking of next time. I hope there is one…._

 _He_ _ **did**_ _promise that you just had to say the word and he'd make all of your fantasies come true. I think that means there will be a next time,_  reasoned her inner-self, while her libido whooped for joy, a sentiment shared by Sarah as well.

She was warm. She was well fed. She was relaxed. And most of all…she was in Jareth's arms, someplace she never thought she'd be after turning him down once before. The week had definitely improved. Purring happily, she glanced up at Jareth and felt her blood pulse heavily in her ears once more – his seductive smirk telling her that her week was about to get even better.

"And now, I think dessert is in order," he said, his voice a velvet purr as his heated breath washed over her exposed flesh of her shoulder. Picking her up once more, he sought her lips with his, tasting the sweetness of the peach nectar that still clung to them.

Breaking the kiss, Sarah's emerald eyes flashed impishly as she caught his gaze. "Um… I thought the peaches and cream  _were_ dessert?" she asked, blushing as she caught herself absently caressing the bit of his bare chest that peeked from the folds of the robe he had carelessly wrapped around himself.

"It was… for you at least," Jareth growled quietly, the sound making every nerve in Sarah's body come alight at once. Laying her tenderly upon his bed, Jareth's fingers plucked at the sash of the robe, letting it fall open and allowing his darkened eyes to feast hungrily upon the exposed ivory flesh. "Now….I'll have  _mine_."

 _Oh Gods…._  Whimpered her libido as Jareth's fingers lightly caressed across her lips, before gliding down her bared throat, dipping along the valley of her breasts, down her abdomen, to stop just before reaching the apex of her thighs, leaving her trembling in anticipation.

… _.You can say that again…._

 _Oh Gods…Oh Gods…._  Came the whispered reply, her libido now overcome with lust.

Feeling her entire body begin to buzz, Sarah watched him intently. With a flick of his wrist a shining crystal appeared. Jareth gave her a devilish smile, as her eyes grew wide, following the course of the crystal as it spun over his fingers.

Sarah could hardly believe her ears as the words snuck out of her mouth, her voice hoarse with desire, "What is that?"

His wicked chuckle echoed through the room, her body responding as a flood of heat surged toward her core, while her nipples tightened painfully.

"One of your fantasies…. Do you want it?" came the dark reply, a seductive invitation that he hoped she would not be able to deny.

Sarah paused.  _….How could he know?..._  Her mouth opened, but no sound came. Swallowing hard against the lump that seemed intent on choking her, she tried again, nodding her head, "Y-Yes."

With a vague sense of déjà vu, Sarah watched as Jareth held the crystal up on the fingertips of one hand, then with a deft twist of his hand, a snake appeared looping around his fingers, the sight forcing a fearful whimper from her throat as she attempted to scoot up the bed away from him. His free hand gripped her ankle tightly, holding her fast as he shushed her gently.

"Trust me, Pet. Things are not always as they seem. Think back…..Remember," he soothed, his eyes locking with hers, imploring her to remember the past.

Seeing the light of memory come on in her green eyes, Jareth released his hold upon her ankle, stretching the snake between his hands. He glanced quickly from Sarah to the snake, before tossing it at her head, thrilled when she didn't scream or shrink away as the snake transformed into a silken scarf, blindfolding her.

Sarah's heart raced, throbbing almost painfully in her chest as she strained, listening for any movement Jareth might make. Holding her breath in an effort to silence the pounding of her own blood in her ears, she heard the soft whisper of fabric, followed by a soft pop. Then there was nothing but the sound of her breathing and Jareth's.

Warm hands gently rolled her over, gliding smoothing over her flesh.  _…Oil….he has oil on his hands and it smells heavenly…._  She felt the bed move, her breath catching in her throat at the realization that he was not only on the bed with her, but kneeling over her, the muscles of his thighs lightly touching hers as she was effectively pinned in place. Whimpering, she tried to ignore the heat pouring from his body and dancing over her own.

"Relax," he commanded, his voice quiet, yet firm, making her tremble beneath him as her body melted into the bed.

Without warning, Jareth laid his hands upon her shoulders, the sudden heat of them wrenching a startled gasp from her lips.

"Hush, Pet…I'm not going to hurt you," he reassured her, his tone dark and seductive. "At least… not tonight," he continued. She felt him lean low over her body until his lips caressed the skin near her ear. "But believe me, Love…someday, you'll beg for it…in ways you can't even begin to imagine."

Licking her lips, Sarah felt the heat sinking deeper into her belly, as if threatening to pour out of her in a sudden flood of desire and lust.

"You'd be surprised what I have imagined," she whispered softly.

… _Holy shit! …_  Sarah moaned inwardly in shock  _….Did I just tell Jareth I had…._

… _. Kinky fantasies about him. Yes. Yes, you did_ …. Replied her inner-self, while her libido snickered merrily in a corner, flipping through some of her more 'naughty' fantasies and providing a running slide-show of all of the 'interesting' positions and props that could be employed.

Jareth laughed, the sound a cross between a chuckle and a growl, sending an electric jolt straight to her core.

"Hmm….there is more to my Sarah than there first appears," he crooned, his lips lightly brushing her cheek before moving away, while his hands began to knead her shoulders and back. With firm strokes he caressed her back, teasing the muscles with deep touches that chased away the knots and pains. "And I shall be most happy to explore  _all_  that Sarah and her fantasies have to offer."

… _. His Sarah…. His Sarah? Oh Gods…yes….._

Biting her tongue to hold back the torrent of dark fantasies that her libido was demanding that she share with him, Sarah tried to focus upon the feel of his hands on her body. His hands smoothed over her flesh, long strokes that loosened tight muscles, making her purr, her body relaxing further. Down her back, the firm touch slid, until his talented fingers were once more kneading the rounded globes of her

ass, the sensation making her squirm and blush once more.

… _Oh my God that feels good….but it shouldn't….Oh…but….it does…. Who knew that could feel so damn good…._  She thought in wonder, each firm touch making her belly throb anew, the tell-tale sensation of a drip sliding from deep within her, making her face flush hotly against the pillow as her thighs clamped tightly in a vain attempt to stop the continuing trickle.

Jareth chuckled, the wriggle of her body and tightness in her thighs, giving her away.

"So… tell me Pet. Is it the thought of me doing wicked things to you or the massage that is making you we….. _wriggle_?"

An inarticulate moan was all the answer Sarah was capable of giving as his hands began to massage her thighs, oiled fingers wrapping around to knead the inside of her thighs, before sliding across to press knowingly against the taut outer muscles. Over and over his hands slid, so close to the ache within her, yet showing no sign of touching her intimately, the sensation enough to make Sarah's body nearly vibrate with need.

Moving from atop her, Jareth's hands ran down her legs, massaging in small circles as he went. Sarah groaned at the feeling of his thumbs digging into her calves, teasing out the knots that had built up over the week. Finishing with her feet, she felt him leave the bed and nearly whimpered at the sensation of loss that washed over her. Then she felt him once more, his lips caressing her cheek.

"Roll over, Precious," he instructed, dark laughter edging his voice. "I'll have my dessert now."

Sarah's heart seemed to stop in her chest, before thumping wildly as she turned over on the bed. She felt her face grow hot knowing that she was spread upon his bed, naked and he was looking at her. She could feel his gaze as it penetrated her. The heady combination of feeling vulnerable and being cared for making her head swim, as her body threatened to come undone. Then she felt his lips caress the tender flesh of her throat, while two fingers traced her lips.

"So beautiful…" he murmured, soft lips caressing her with each word.

Opening her lips in response, Sarah sucked the fingers into her mouth, bathing them with her tongue, feeling her desire soar at the low growl Jareth gave. She whimpered when he pulled his fingers from her mouth, only to gasp sharply when she felt those same fingers tease around one nipple, the cold wet feeling contrasting violently with his hot mouth as it crashed upon the other.

Sarah arched upward at the unexpected sensation. Hot. Cold. Both wet. Both sending electric jolts of desire racing to her very core. His wet fingers and hot mouth continued their journey, tracing lazy patterns along her torso, while moving ever lower. She gave a mournful whimper as his hands left her body, only to be replaced with a needy moan when they reappeared, lightly grazing her inner thighs, nudging them outward, all the while, his lips and tongue continued their slow descent. Deliberate strokes of his tongue lingered over her hip, before swooping further downward, a flurry of tender kisses raining upon her inner thighs as they fell open before him, her face suffused with heat as feathery wisps of hair tickled her skin. With every kiss and caress whispered words of love, lust and desire drifted to her ears.

Warm breath played over her skin, hitting the slick folds and making her shiver from the phantom caress. Sarah squirmed, unsure if she was trying to get away or seek more. Slender fingers slid around her hip, pressing her down, a low growl rumbling in warning. Then his tongue flicked home, a quick slice along her heated flesh, barely parting her, yet pulling a sharp cry from her lips.

And then he was there, insistent in his actions, tasting, teasing, taunting until there was nothing left for her, but the feeling of her flesh, pulsing with need. Then just as suddenly, he stopped, leaving her panting and quivering.

"Hmm…So sweet. Luscious really. But you seem tense again, Pet. This seems to be a recurring problem for you," Jareth teased. "If you can't relax, I'll have no choice but to stop."

Whimpering, Sarah wove her hand through his hair. "No…." she pleaded.

Jareth chuckled darkly, releasing her hip to pull her hand from his hair before pinning it to the side. "Ah-ah-ha, Love… hands off…."

Taking deep breaths, Sarah forced herself to relax into the silken sheets, relishing the cool feel of the material against her burning skin. Without warning his tongue slipped against her, piercing her core, making her moan and writhe, the one touch unraveling any control she had left.

"More…." she panted, fisting handfuls of the sheets as she struggled to keep her hands away from him, when she wanted nothing more than to entwine her hands in his hair and keep him there, so long as he would continue the sweet torment that flooded her body with warmth and made lava pool deep within her.

Gasping, she arched upward, feeling her core melting under his onslaught, until all feeling was concentrated in one spot, the one spot he had not yet touched. Sarah whimpered, knowing a touch there would send her over. One touch is all it would take, the sensation throbbing and clawing in her belly, threatening to break free and consume her. With a feral groan, she opened her mouth to give in to the urge to beg, only to scream as his thumb found the throbbing bud. A light touch teasing her higher, before an abrupt pinching twist rocketed her over the edge, the fire within her bursting free in a blinding flash of internal flame. Heat roared through her body, every nerve screaming her release as she spasmed against the bed.

Lost in the power of her release, she didn't see or feel the room spin away. Still gasping for air, it took her several minutes to realize Jareth was gone. His heavenly tongue was no longer tormenting her and his hands were not holding her fast. Ripping the blindfold from her eyes she peered around.

"Fuuuuuuck!" she panted, realizing she was back in her bed, tucked under her own covers, still trembling and naked.

A tousled red-head peered at her from the bed across the room.

"I wondered when you'd get back," Carrie said with a sleepy yawn. "I trust you had fun?"

"Uh-huhhh," Sarah purred, licking her lips with Cheshire cat glee. "Didn't fully get to finish though," she sighed, rolling on to her side and giving her pillow a vicious thump.

Bedsprings squeaked in protest as Carrie slid from her bed.

"Tell you what. I'm going to go downstairs and make us some hot chocolate so you can tell me alllll about your evening. I'll be gone about 15 minutes, so I suggest you put BoB to use, cuz when I get back I want to hear  _every_  last erotic detail," her friend laughed, tugging open the door to their room.

"Bob?" Sarah asked. "What on earth do I need a goblin for?"

"Not Bob the goblin," giggled Carrie, thinking she needed brain-bleach after the very idea of a goblin having sex. "BoB as in 'Battery-operated-Boyfriend'. I think tonight would be a good time for you to break in BoB."

With that, Carrie shut the door.

Pulling the pink toy from under her pillow Sarah looked at it and chuckled. Having seen the 'real thing' BoB was woefully inadequate, but for the next four hours it was all she had and she planned to put it to good use.

 **NEXT CHAPTER:**  Jareth's Fantasy….


	11. Hunger

**Chapter 11: Hunger**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. But I wouldn't mind Jareth or his fantasies wistful sigh

 **Warning: COLD SHOWER WARNING** – this chapter is lemony (even more so than the last chapter!) If you are under 18 or mature things squick you out, skip this chapter. Heck, you may want to skip the rest of this story (it is pretty lemony from here on out).

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hope you like this one gang. I got myself all worked up writing it, so I'm hoping it works for the rest of y'all as well. As always, please review – reviews keep my enthusiasm for a story high and help me get through the writing. :)

 **A special note for jinx –** this isn't the fantasy we discussed, but that one is coming too *insert evil grin and laughter here*. His Nibs finally spoke up and told me how things should go, and I must say, I rather liked his take on things. And I think you'll like the additions and modifications he made to that lil scenario we talked about. ;)

* * *

**Ch. 11: Hunger**

Wrapping her lips around the spoon, Sarah sucked the sticky sweetness into her mouth, ignoring the tears that poured down her face. Her tongue was thick with peach pulp, the cloying sweetness tempered only by the sharp burn of chilies as she turned the heavy dollop over on her tongue, savoring the mix of sweet and spicy. And still she cried.

…  _This wasn't supposed to happen…. Tonight was wonderful…Jareth kept his promise and gave me my fantasy – and then some…. I'm not fucking homesick or lonely or upset….so why is the craving so damn strong…._

Digging the spoon back into the nearly empty jar of her special jam, Sarah sobbed, her breath coming in rasping pants as she sniffed loudly.

…  _It isn't fair…._ She wailed inwardly _….Why won't it stop?_

After her sudden return to her room, Sarah and Carrie had stayed up until 2 a.m. talking about what went on in the fantasy, before finally calling it a night and crashing. Sarah fell into a peaceful sleep quickly, only to find herself awake again at 3:13 a.m., her stomach knotted as the craving made itself known, a painful desire that clawed at her insides. Sneaking out of her bed, she wrapped her fluffy robe around herself and grabbed her secret stash of jam, taking it downstairs to eat it in peace, planning to make a slice of toast and enjoy the sticky sweetness that way.

But that is not what ended up happening.

… _.If anyone saw me right now they'd think I'm disgusting….or crazy…._

 _Or both_ , moaned her inner-voice, as her libido for once stayed strangely quiet.

By the time she got downstairs, the craving was so intense that she was shaking from head to toe, her stomach twisting and sending shards of agonizing pain to rip through her body. She barely made it to the couch in the downstairs lounge, before ripping the lid off a jar of the jam and greedily spooning it into her mouth, welcoming the burn of the chilies as the thick, sugary concoction slid down her throat.

Usually, a few spoon-fulls was enough to bring relief. By the time she finished the first jar and found the craving was intensifying, Sarah realized she was in trouble and fear began to creep in. When she found herself sticking her hand into the dregs of the second jar to scrape out every last mouthful, Sarah began to cry. And now, as she reached the bottom of her third and last jar, the crying had become full-blown sobs. She was nearing the end of her stash and the craving hadn't abated, in fact if anything, it had gotten worse.

… _.Fuck….FUCK!...I knew better than to eat the fucking peaches at the castle tonight….nothing good ever comes from peaches and Jareth…._  She whimpered, licking her spoon clean, her red eyes puffy and sore as more tears flowed freely.

Dropping the now empty jar into the nearest trash bin, Sarah restlessly made her way to the kitchen of the sorority house. Her cries coming in harsh bursts, Sarah threw open the pantry and cooler, frantically searching through the fruit bins. Grabbing a bag of peaches and dropping them on the counter, she began to eat, all the while her tears flowed faster. A peach in each hand, she winced in pain as her teeth cut through the fuzzy flesh, the sweet juice running down her chin. And still the craving grew.

Her anguish reaching its peak, Sarah collapsed against the cooler door, still eating the peaches in her hands, only to whisper between bites a wish she had made many times before – "I wish I could make this craving stop."

In a flash the world fell away, only this time her eyes were open for it. The kitchen faded away in a swirl of black mist, and seconds later she found herself sitting in a grassy courtyard, under a moonlit sky, with a fragrant breeze swirling lazily around her. Surprised at her sudden translocation, Sarah dropped the half-eaten peaches, her mouth gaping as she looked around. The grass she was sitting on was so thick and lush it felt like velvet upon her bare feet as she stood. Peering in front of her and to the side, she found that she was in a garden courtyard. The stone walls on the right and left were covered in ivy and climbing roses. In front of her, a short distance away, was another stone wall with a wooden door set into it, a heavy golden padlock locking it shut. Then she turned around and saw a lone tree behind her and….

… _. Oh shit…._  She gasped, looking up to see the castle beyond the Goblin City looming over her.

She was in one of the gardens of the castle and had no idea how she had gotten there.

Looking at the tree she saw a single piece of fruit hanging from a low branch, the scent drifting lightly upon the air, drawing her toward it. As if in a trance, Sarah stepped toward the tree. One step. Two steps. Three steps, until she was standing beneath the piece of fruit, the scent seeming to sing to her, calling to her and every cell in her body was demanding that she answer the call.

Hanging above her was a single, perfectly ripe peach.

Her mouth watered.

 _Run away!..._  screamed her inner-voice in a panic.  _Don't eat it! You don't know what will happen…._

… _.I'm trying…._  She moaned, but her feet refused to budge.

Sarah watched transfixed in shock, her hand reaching out toward the peach as if someone else were controlling it.

… _.NoNoNonoNo! This is definitely_ _ **not**_ _good!..._

With a small 'snip' sound the peach was free of the branch. The gentle weight of it settled cozily on her palm, as the crisp smell beckoned, pleading with her to sink her teeth into the fuzzy flesh, to let the sweet nectar run down her chin. Oh how she wanted to devour it.

Struggling to still the movement of her hand, Sarah whimpered as the peach was lifted toward her mouth until the soft fuzz of the skin brushed her lips, teasing them to open.

_CRUNCH_

And the deed was done.

Her teeth pierced the cool flesh of the peach in one solid bite. Purring, Sarah swallowed the juice of the peach, the stickiness coating her lips, teeth and tongue. The first bite made the pain in her belly stop, the daggers that always seemed to be thrusting into her when the craving came ceasing as if they were never there to begin with. The second bite ended the hunger – one minute there, torturing her with every breath, the next it vanished. The third bite sated her entirely, her eyelids suddenly heavy as her breathing evened out.

"So sleepy…." Sarah whispered, leaning against the trunk of the tree for support.

With a yawn she slid her back down the tree trunk, to sit upon the ground.

… _.I wonder if the world will dance like it did last time…._  She pondered, peering blearily around the little garden, almost disappointed when nothing moved or changed.

_*yawn*_

… _.The grass is so soft and it smells so nice here…._ She muttered inwardly _…. It can't hurt to have a little nap, before I figure out how to get home….._

Yawning again, Sarah curled up on the soft grass at the base of the tree, tucking her fluffy bathrobe snuggling around her. Within moments she was fast asleep, the partially eaten peach still clasped in her sticky fingers, as drops of peach nectar dried to a sweet shine upon her parted lips.

* * *

… _I hate being unable to sleep…._  Jareth groused to himself, letting the updrafts that swirled above the Labyrinth drive him higher, white feathers stark against the dark velvet of the late night sky.

 _Well if you had been able to consummate things with Sarah, then you would have easily fallen asleep,_  grumbled his inner-voice with a yawn.

… _Consumate? Must be you so sterile and analytical…. Sarah got her fantasy, which was the agreement after all…._

 _You can't expect us to believe that you didn't want to get one over as well?_  Snarked his libido, still angry at the Labyrinth for sending Sarah home before anything more could happen, and more angry with Jareth since the four-hour time limit had been his idea in the first place.

…  _I have waited years to have her. A few more hours or days is not such a problem…._

 _So_ _ **you**_ _say…._  Snapped his libido, pacing in frustration.

After Sarah vanished earlier in the evening, Jareth did the only thing he could do – he took flight.

In his owl form, he soared and swooped over the Labyrinth and the kingdom, coasting upon updrafts before diving low to chase the odd creature that was out wandering when they should be safely tucked away in their beds. It was a good game, one he enjoyed frequently on nights when his thoughts were too persistent and tangled to allow him to sleep.

Feeling dawn beginning to make her assent in the sky, Jareth had turned toward the castle, lazily winging his way back to his own chambers to hopefully get a few hours of sleep before matters of state tore him away for the day.

… _.Besides, Sarah and I have another date tonight and another fantasy that must be fulfilled within the next two days, so I will have at least two more chances to have her. More than that if I have my way…._

 _Assuming she'll be agreeable once you've told her the truth about the peach,_  pouted his libido.

If an owl could smile, he would have been wearing a wicked grin.

… _.If her responses from tonight are any indication, I think she will be agreeable. Very. Agreeable. Once the shock wears off of course…._

As he neared the castle, Jareth's keen owl eyes caught a flash of purple in his private gardens. Floating upon an air current high above the gardens, the white owl seemed to pause, a low screech of annoyance breaking the quiet of the wee morning hours.

… _Who dares invade my personal gardens?..._

Pulling his wings close to his body, the owl began to dive toward the gardens, the tight posture allowing him a burst of speed to match his anger at having his private area invaded, when his subjects knew the severe penalty for such insolence. Faster he streaked toward the ground, a white blur of feathers that fluttered as the air tore over the sleek form. Just before reaching the ground, the feathered form seemed to shudder and expand, until the Goblin King was standing in the middle of the garden, cloaked in the black leather armor that struck terror into the hearts of every subject of the Goblin Kingdom – as it was commonly understood that when the King was in armor, the punishments were usually far worse than an all-expenses-paid vacation to the Bog of Eternal Stench.

Fuming in his anger, the Goblin King stalked toward the person who had the audacity to not only invade his private gardens, but to go near the sacred tree – it was practically treason.

… _. If they have eaten fruit from the sacred tree, their life is forfeit…._  He swore to himself as he moved closer.  _I swear I'll remove their head and let the Fireys play with it!_

Already planning how to torture the traitor, Jareth's eyes fell upon the purple once more and he stopped cold. Eyebrows raised in surprise, he shook his head as the flash of purple he saw from above revealed itself to be Sarah's hideously ugly bathrobe, wrapped around…

"…. Sarah?" he whispered in shock.

 _She's back!_  Crowed his libido.  _Great!_   _Now pick her up, return to your bed and get back to what you were doing earlier!_

… _Shut. Up…._  The Goblin King growled silently, as he tried to grasp the fact that Sarah was here. In his gardens. Under the sacred tree. Fast asleep. And  _he_  hadn't brought her here.

Creeping silently toward her, so as not to alarm her should she wake, Jareth took in the sight before him. Sarah. His Sarah. Was curled up at the base of the sacred tree, deeply asleep, as evidenced by the soft sighs that periodically slid past her parted lips. Looking closer, he noticed the half-eaten peach clutched in her hand – a peach from the sacred tree.

And that was when he knew how she came to be there.

"My poor Precious Sarah," he whispered, as he knelt beside her.

Tenderly Jareth eased her into his arms, smiling as she snuggled against him in her sleep, but never letting go of the peach. Rising, he cradled her sleeping form against his chest, her chestnut hair hanging over his arm to sway gently with every movement. If someone had been watching they would have seen the darkly armored figure take two steps toward the castle with the sleeping woman in his arms, before vanishing in a haze of blue glitter that floated to the ground, like a burst of sapphire stars.

Upon reaching his chambers, Jareth silently slid Sarah under the covers of his bed. Plucking the partially eaten peach from her hand and setting it aside, he tucked the covers around her and smiled as she turned on her side, curling into a ball.

"Jareth," she sighed quietly in her sleep, a soft smile gracing her features.

Jareth brushed an errant strand of hair from her face as he looked at her. While this wasn't the way he had hoped to have her in his bed tonight, he was happy she was there. Leaning over her, he lightly kissed her forehead, before settling himself beside her, having exchanged the armor for his own bedclothes, the silk of the loose pants gliding effortlessly over the velvet and brocade comforter. Propped against the headboard by a pile of thick pillows, he watched her silently for some time, until she seemed to drop deeper into sleep. Reassured by her deep and slow breathing, Jareth conjured a sparkling green crystal and speaking quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping woman next to him, gave the order – "Show me."

His eyes never left the glowing crystal as it played out the events that led to her being found in his gardens, the sight of her tears making his chest ache for her.

"Oh my Sarah. I should have come for you long before now." Jareth sighed, cursing his own selfish pride.

With a flick of his fingers he sent the crystal upward where it faded from view. Sliding beneath the covers next to Sarah, Jareth pulled her close to him, his arm draping over her hip to rest against the warmth of her stomach. The last thing he did before joining her in slumber was smile, as she molded herself to him in her sleep, their conjoined sighs of contentment drifting upon the early morning air.

* * *

Scrunching her eyes shut tight, Sarah threw her arm over her eyes trying to block out the light that was determined to penetrate the lovely lazy feeling she was desperately trying to hang on to.

… _For having to deal with that damn craving in the middle of the night, I actually slept pretty good….Wonder what time it is…._  She thought as she rolled onto her back and stretched her arms wide.  _Ugh…too hot though. Gotta take the robe off…Why'd I get under the covers with this heavy thing on?_

Without opening her eyes, Sarah shrugged out of the robe, then continued stretching. Arching against the bed with feline grace, she stretched her back, her arms sliding easily across the silk sheets. Purring happily, she drank in the pleasant sensation of being well-rested, despite her late night. Then it registered.

"Silk sheets?" Sarah sat up with a start, her emerald eyes wide in surprise. "Oh fuck!"

Looking around wildly as her heart raced, Sarah gasped to find herself back in Jareth's chambers and more precisely, in his bed.

"Eeep!" she squeaked, "How the hell did I get here?" Dropping her head to peer under the covers she breathed a sigh of relief, "At least I'm still wearing what I was when I went to bed."

 _I fail to see why that is a good thing,_ pouted her libido.  _It would be much better to be naked in his bed, preferably with Jareth also in the bed….naked. And with that much nakedness, there would be bound to be…._

 _Oh honestly,_  muttered her inner-voice in disbelief, interrupting the decidedly lewd train of thought the libido was offering.  _You were naked in this bed earlier in the evening, why should you be so relieved to be clothed now? Do you honestly think Jareth would take advantage of you while you were sleeping?_

… _. Um…. Well….I suppose not…._  Sarah agreed, before another thought hit her.  _Hang on. How did I get here? The last thing I remember was eating the peach and then falling asleep under the tree…._

 _If I had to guess, I would say that Jareth found you there and brought you here. Rather nice of him seeing as how this bed is far more comfortable than sleeping on the cold ground, even if the grass itself was nice and soft,_ grumbled her inner-voice.

Smiling, Sarah found herself wondering if Jareth had noticed what she was wearing under the robe. With one last stretch, Sarah pushed the covers down and slid out of the bed. Hearing only her own movements, Sarah breathed a sigh of relief – she was alone. She glanced around the room, taking in the rich furnishings that Jareth surrounded himself with. While the colors themselves were rich, the room was not overdone or crowded.

Quietly humming, Sarah padded through the open French doors onto the stone balcony and leaned against the railings. The view that met her eyes left her stunned. Stretching far into the distance was the Labyrinth, the twists and turns fading over the horizon.

… _.Wow. It is much bigger than I thought. I must've only conquered a small part of it…._

Below her, Sarah saw the garden she was in last night and on the other side of the garden walls, the Goblin City, with goblins bustling busily through the streets. Smiling she watched as the goblins raced back and forth, the sounds of the goblin market drifting toward the castle, carried on the gentle morning breeze.

"Jareth is so lucky. He's got a gorgeous view like this to enjoy every morning," she said, drinking in the peaceful feeling of the sun on her face, warming her skin through the thin silk of Jareth's shirt that she had thrown on when she went to bed the night before.

"Oh, I don't think the view is usually this lovely," came the accented reply from behind her.

Sarah looked over her shoulder to see Jareth leaning against the balcony doors, his arms crossed, while his mismatched eyes danced over her body. Blushing at the appraising look Jareth gave her, Sarah's voice cracked when she spoke: "Why not?"

"Because, Precious… my view usually does not include you, wearing my shirt and nothing else," he answered, his lips twisting with amusement as he stepped up behind her to wrap his arms around her waist.

Leaning her head back against his shoulder, Sarah's fell shut and she smiled, purring as the warmth of his body seeped through the silk to caress her bare flesh beneath.

Jareth kissed her cheek, before his attention was drawn to the pendant hanging between her breasts, a sultry smirk teasing his lips at the pulsing, vibrant purple light emanating from the crystal. His fingers caressed the crystal, drawing her attention to it as it glowed brighter.

"Although I must thank you for fulfilling that particular fantasy of mine, Pet," Jareth drawled, fingering the pendant, his breath hot against her neck as he feathered kisses on the exposed column of ivory. "It is quite a gorgeous sight and I wouldn't object being afforded this view more often."

"Well, you left the shirt with me and there were no rules stating that I couldn't wear it again," Sarah blushed, her voice taking on a hoarse rasp that she recognized as betraying her own desires. She fervently hoped that Jareth hadn't noticed, but judging from the way his hands had found their way under the hem of the shirt as it grazed her thighs, she was pretty sure he had.

"I had rather hoped you would choose to wear the shirt again, Sarah," he murmured against her neck. "Although as of this moment, I am more inclined to see you without it."

Pressing his hands against the outside of her thighs, Jareth turned her toward him, his eyes darkening visibly. Sarah felt her breath catch in her throat at the intense way he looked at her, as if he could devour her whole and already knew exactly what she would taste like.

 _Of course he knows that,_  drooled her libido at the feel of his hands on her bare body once more.  _He had a pretty good taste of you last night!_

At that thought Sarah flushed crimson.

Before she could respond, Jareth lips met hers, light at first before crushing against them. He heard her whimper as his tongue darted out, flitting lightly over her lips, tasting the remainder of the peach nectar that dotted them. Feeling her melt against him as her lips parted in invitation, Jareth pulled her tighter against his body, his hands moving upward under the shirt, taking the hem with it. One hand paused to grip her hip while the other moved up to the center of her back, curled fingers caressing her tenderly. With his tongue thrusting against hers, he barely registered that she was moving until her hands twined in his hair, urging him closer still while deepening the kiss – a low groan rumbling in the back of his throat at the feeling of her hands demanding more of him.

Sarah felt the shirt dragging upward as Jareth's hands moved over her body, the warm morning breeze dancing over her exposed skin, as each touch of his hands sent electric bolts zinging through her body, to pool in her belly. Trying desperately to quiet the squeaks of reproach from her inner-self at being half-naked on an open balcony of the castle, Sarah threw herself into the kiss with an unabashed fervor that made her own libido blush. Whimpering as his lips left hers to trace down her neck, Sarah tried to focus on what he was saying, but all she really wanted was more of his kisses and the feel of his hands on her body.

"I believe you and I have some unfinished business, Precious. Business I should very much like to conclude….Now. In fact," he purred silkily.

… _.Oh Gods…. This is really happening…._

 _Hell yes!_  Yelped her libido with lustful glee.

Jareth leaned back to look at Sarah, amazed by the way the morning sunlight made her seem to glow, suffusing her naked body with a creamy aura. Her emerald eyes gazed back at him, shining bright in the morning light as her breathing sped up. Sliding one hand to caress the small of her back, the other palmed her breast through the silk. His thumb rubbed firmly over the taut bud feeling it grow harder and tighter, the touch eliciting a soft moan from Sarah, as her body trembled against him.

Sarah watched as he leaned in once more, eagerly awaiting another kiss, only to gasp with delight when he suddenly swooped down, his hot mouth sucking a taut nipple into its moist confines. His mouth incredibly hot and wet against the silk.

"Jareth!" she gasped, as her hands instinctively came up, grasping at his hair as he pulled deeply on her, his teeth pinching the nippled firmly, before releasing it to the tender ministrations of his tongue. All the while, the fingers of his other hand toyed with the other nipple, teasing it and twirling it, making Sarah dance and squirm as she was pinned between his firm body and the hard stone railing behind her. Through it all, the fire in her core burned hotter until she was sure it should be singeing him as they pressed together.

There were no words now, only inarticulate grunts and gasps, tempered by the odd painful pinch of his teeth and fingers that sent sharp jolts of pleasure straight to her center, the liquid heat seeping from her in response.

Unable to stand the torture and her inability to touch him, Sarah twisted a hand into the wild hair on the back of his head and forcefully pulled his head toward hers, until her lips met his in a hungry kiss. This was no coaxing gentle kiss. Sarah plundered his mouth with a passion she didn't recognize as her own, although her body did, as she felt her heart beat pounding in her belly, each throb sending burning drips to slide against her inner thighs. With his lips busy, Sarah's other hand tugged at the laces that held his shirt closed.

"Sorry," she muttered into his mouth at the sound of tearing fabric, as she jerked viciously at the laces, her lips never leaving his.

"S'okay," he rumbled, resuming the kiss while his hands slid around to grip her ass, lifting her upward.

Growling low against his lips, Sarah wrapped her legs tightly around his hips as her hands slid under the silk of his shirt, her fingers splayed across his lightly muscled chest. Finally able to touch him, Sarah grazed her nails over his chest, swallowing his groan at her rough caress.

"Too. Many. Clothes," Sarah ground out between kisses, her hands trying to push the shirt from his shoulders, as her own body held it fast, pressed against him.

Jareth hissed as she wriggled against him, her body hot and wet against his waist as she panted and whimpered in her struggle to slide the shirt from his chest. Giving up on his shirt, Sarah's hands found their way back to his head, to tug it back, her lips and teeth finding his neck. A hungry purr hummed against his throat as she sucked and nibbled her way around his neck, small teeth dragging along the pale skin.

"Please," she moaned, licking his neck before latching onto his earlobe with her sharp teeth, the sensation nearly driving him to his knees, as a bolt of sheer pleasure rocketed through him. Arms tightening around her, he turned, carrying her back into his rooms, while she continued to suck and bite at his ear, each nibble sending further shock waves through him.

… _. Ye Gods!... She is definitely my match…._

With a snarl from Jareth, Sarah found herself being dropped into the middle of the bed. As quickly as she was dropped, she sprung up, kneeling on the edge of the bed, her eyes bright as her hands gripped the drawstring of his pajama bottoms, quickly tugging it loose to let the material slide over his hips. Distracted by his swift movements, Sarah looked up as Jareth yanked the shirt over his head and sent it flying into a corner. Their eyes met, locked for a split second before she blushed hotly, realizing that not only was she ogling the very naked, Greek-godlike physique of the Goblin King, but sitting on his bed as she was, she now had a very good eyeful of just what he hid in his trousers – And the trousers didn't even do it justice!

Jareth peered down at Sarah, his eyebrow raised in a sardonic smirk as he watched her reaction.

"Problem, Pet?" he asked, the question a sultry hum in the sexually-charged atmosphere of the room. Chuckling darkly at her glazed expression as she shook her head, he continued, "So tell me then, Precious… do you think I am over-compensating for anything with the big castle and such?"

Seeing the smirk on his face, Sarah's libido woke up, spurring her to action. Determined to wipe that supercilious smirk from his face, she reached out with a manicured hand and grasped him, tenderly but firmly. Peering up at him, her green eyes flashed impishly, as she licked her lips, running her soft tongue around them, fully aware of his searching look.

"No. Definitely. Justified," she purred, punctuating each word with a light kiss along the length of him, her body buzzing at Jareth's sharp intake of breath.

As for Jareth, his libido was convinced his every Christmas, birthday and every other gift-giving holiday had just come at once. The sight of Sarah, holding him, much-less her lips on him and the look of sheer seductive glee shining behind her emerald eyes was almost too much to bear. Then, as he looked down to drag her away, she did something that had long been a part of this particular fantasy, but not something he actually expected her to do. In one graceful move, she swooped down upon him with her lips, tearing a surprised grunt of pleasure from deep within him as he was engulfed by her. Unthinking, his hands found her hair, fisting handfuls of it, his eyes glued to the sight of her, as his body quaked at the electric sensations that flooded through him.

Moments passed that felt like and eternity, each caress building the fire within him. The pleasure found at her touch almost unbearable. He was torn between the desire to let her continue, and the need to ravish her thoroughly.

In the end, ravishing won out.

With a growl of unbridled desire coupled with an immense amount of willpower, Jareth pulled her head away, feeling his chest constrict at the mournful whimper that spilled past her lips.

"But…" she protested, gasping and pulling against his hands as they held fast in her hair, clearly trying to return to what she had been doing.

"Later," came the hoarse reply, as his lips sought hers in a bruising kiss that left them both breathless. "I promise you can do that as long as you want, but for now…." His words trailed off, as he became distracted by his own desires that could no longer be denied.

Abruptly releasing her hair, Jareth grabbed the bunched hem of her shirt and ripped it over her head in one fluid movement that left her bare before him. Once more his lips found hers, grinding against them as his tongue thrust wildly alongside hers, wrestling for control, with neither giving in. Crushing her to him, his hands grasped the back of her thighs, lifting her from her knees to lay her back upon the bed, his body coming to kneel between her parted legs.

Seeing her laid out before him, open and wanting, Jareth felt his heart ache. All of the nights he had dreamt of this. All of the hours spent wondering if she would ever call for him. All of the days spent conjuring crystals to watch her, while longing to be part of her life. All of them, every last minute, coming down to this one moment in time. Here she was. Sarah. His Sarah. The Champion. The girl who ate the peach, forgot everything and still beat him at his own game. His equal.

It had to be a dream.

"Jareth…please…." Sarah moaned, her verdant eyes locked to his as he looked down at her.

That was all it took.

Eight years of longing. Two words that returned his power. One thrust.

And the dream was real.

A longing groan burst from his throat as her warmth embraced him. He froze. With his eyes shut, his expression caught at a moment that was both exquisite and agonizing. Breathing deep the tangible scent of her, Jareth savored the sensation as her warmth seemed to seep inside his skin, warming him from the inside out. With a hitch in his breath, he was pulled from his reverie by a silken caress as she slowly traced a finger along his arched eyebrows, down along his nose, over his cheekbones, to trail across his lips. Opening his eyes he saw hers, boring into him with all of the emotion that she held behind their emerald depths.

She was here. This was real. The Lord of Dreams at last granted a dream of his own.

And together they moved. Slowly at first. Drawing out each touch, to cherish each whimper and gasp. The sensual slide of flesh upon flesh that burned brightly through them. Gradually the fire built, their movements increasing in response. Faster. Stronger. Her legs wrapped tightly around him, drawing him deeper within. Lost to each other, attuned only to the inferno that raged within them, they passed the power of desire back and forth between them, letting it fill them, rushing through them with each touch, each driving caress that melded them together.

Then, in a blinding flash they found the peak – together at last.

One sharp cry, the King's name carried upon the breeze into the city.

One powerful roar of completion, echoing over the kingdom.

And the Labyrinth smiled, as the lovers collapsed together in a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Sarah was dimly aware of a rumbling purr that seemed to be coming from her pillow. Lifting her head, she grinned realizing that while her pillow was indeed purring, it wasn't some mutant pillow-cat, but rather a very contented looking Goblin King, upon whom her head had been resting. Sitting up, she lightly kissed the tip of his nose, as her fingers traced his fine cheekbones once more.

"Is there a reason you keep doing that?" Jareth asked, a bemused smile teasing his lips as he cracked an eye to look at her, marveling at the way the sunlight from the window cast a golden aura around her, his own surreal goddess-queen.

Shrugging, Sarah went to pull her hand away, only to have her wrist caught fast in his hand, before being tugged toward his lips, where he placed a tender kiss upon her palm.

"I don't know," she whispered as she leaned against his chest, letting him enfold her in his arms. "What time is it?" she asked, looking around for a clock before realizing that even if she found one, she had no way of knowing what time it was at home.

"Here, it is around 9a.m. Above, approximately 1 p.m.," he replied, his lips whispering softly against the skin of her neck.

Nibbling her lip with a crestfallen look, Sarah sighed. "I should probably get back then. I have class at 2 p.m."

His fingers caressed her chin, tenderly tilting her head upward, his lips grazing hers. "Spend the day with me, my Sarah. See my world. Just for a day. I know it is selfish of me, but I am not ready to see you leave once more. Call it the date that you owe me. The last date of the six you promised me."

Sarah looked at him, still the imposing Goblin King she remembered and yet, there was something more in the way he looked at her. Something she couldn't quite place.

… _The last date…._  She thought sadly _….One more date and then…. And then what?..._ She couldn't bear the thought of not seeing him after this, but six dates was all he had asked and all she had agreed to.

Kissing her softly again, he pressed his forehead against hers. "One day, Sarah. Give me one day to show you my life and my heart," he murmured.

Returning the kiss, Sarah nodded. "One day." While inside she pleaded with whatever powers were twisting the strands of their fates, that this one day was not to be the laste.


	12. By Right of What?!

**Chapter 12: By Right of Conquest pt 1**

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**DISCLAIMER:**  I don't own anything…I merely borrow Sarah and Jareth for my own sick and twisted amusement. (And light housework – Jareth is a whiz with a duster!)

 **WARNING:**  No warning for this one…..lots of silly UST in this chapter.

 **Author's Note:**  Sorry for the delay in updating gang…my laptop has been on the fritz for the last two weeks and then it took me some time to get my writing groove back. Originally this chapter was going to encompass the whole day in the kingdom, but then I felt bad for keeping you waiting so long, so I decided to go ahead and post part of it early. So expect another (shorter) chapter soon. Also, by splitting up this chapter, it has added another chapter to the story – so now there are TWO chapters left (no more…I swear it! Tho the last chapter may be pushing 10-15k words).

Enjoy!

And don't forget to the tip the author with reviews/feedback! Thx. Kay-Bye! ;)

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**Ch. 12: By Right of Conquest**

With a yelp of surprise, Sarah watched as Jareth launched himself from the bed to lean casually against the fireplace as he stoked the blaze to warm the room. She couldn't help gazing at him, all leonine grace with tantalizing hints of strength, his musculature flexing sensually beneath the pale flesh.

… _He is gorgeous…._

 _God-like even…._  purred her libido, carefully memorizing the lines of every muscles, from Jareth's legs up to…well …. just up.

Her inner-self didn't have anything to say for once, and merely quaked quietly and blushed at the unabashed way that Jareth stood, completely ignoring the fact that he was stark raving naked.

 _And either the cold is having absolutely_ _ **no**_ _effect upon him, or he is rather more well-endowed than he seemed earlier…._ Drooled her libido, hoping fervently that he would turn around further so she could get an even better view.

Peering over his shoulder at the brunette still wound into the sheets upon his bed, Jareth saw the intense gaze in her emerald eyes. With a sardonic smirk, he chuckled, "Enjoying the view, Precious?"

Sarah felt her face flush hotly, but managed to steel her nerves before replying, "Actually, yes. I am. Thanks. Would you mind turning around so I could admire…things…from a different angle?"

At this Jareth laughed, the sound ringing merrily around the room, all the while sending shivers of delight racing inside Sarah's veins.

…  _I love his laugh…._  Sarah sighed with a contented smile.  _… I could never get tired of hearing him laugh._

With a sly grin, Sarah crawled toward the foot of the bed, the silken sheets sliding from her bare skin to pool on the floor as she rose, a predatory glint flashing in her eyes as she looked at him once more.

"I really think you should join me back in the bed,  _Your Majesty_ ," she purred, in honeyed tones. "After all, I did agree to stay here with you for the day…. So we might as well make the most of it."

Raising an eyebrow, Jareth looked at the wanton wench who was currently stalking him across the room.

… _. Hmmm….little Sarah has indeed grown into a woman who knows what she wants…._

 _And isn't adverse to doing whatever it takes to get it,_  crowed his libido in triumph.  _So grab her, throw her back onto the bed and make damn sure that she never leaves this room or bed until she agrees to stay permanently…._  It demanded.

… _. Tempting though that idea is, that is not the way to get her to stay. The game must be played properly this time, no cheating…._

 _Oi! You didn't cheat the first time!_  Insisted his inner-voice indignantly.  _The Labyrinth is the one who cheated…._

 _A mere technicality…._  Grumbled his libido  _….And one that she will still blame you for when you tell her. Better to tell her_ _ **after**_ _screwing her senseless. She'll be less likely to attempt to do nasty things to the crown jewels then._

Wincing inwardly, Jareth considered the likelihood of Sarah reacting badly when she found out what all had transpired during her trip through the Labyrinth. Wearing her out first did seem to be the safer course of action, but it was also the coward's path, and one thing he had never been accused of being, was a coward. He'd be damned if he planned to start now.

As if listening for something, Jareth cocked his head a moment, a frown briefly creasing his brow. Sighing deeply, with a flick of his wrist he was clothed, a quiet chuckle rumbling in his chest at the startled gasp that escaped Sarah's lips. Eyes wide, she surveyed him, drinking in the tight black breeches that disappeared into his customary black boots. An amused smirk tugged the corner of his mouth at the way her eyes seemed to become stuck at the level of his waist, before she visibly shook herself and her gaze moved upward, taking in the black silk of his shirt and the blood red leather waistcoat that was fastened low upon his chest.

"Sorry, Pet. But you agreed to let me show you my life and while I would like nothing more than to spend the day lounging in bed becoming  _much_  more familiar with every inch of your body and those most intriguing noises you make when touched in particular ways, I regret that we cannot spend the day that way. As King there are matters that I must attend to. And, as per our agreement, you must attend to them as well," he explained, while twirling a shimmering crystal in his fingertips. "In fact, unless I am much mistaken, my advisors will be arriving within the next five minutes."

Sarah went white as processed what he said.

"Five minutes?" she squeaked, her eyes wide in panic as she tried to figure out what to do. "That isn't time for me to bathe and dress. Oh hell….double hell in fact," Sarah muttered, dashing for the bathroom door.

A peal of laughter stopped her cold. Cautiously she turned to look at Jareth, her hand still on the door to the bath. Pausing, Jareth smiled at the picture before him – the delightfully nude form of Sarah, all soft curves and luscious valleys, the wild disarray of her chestnut tresses giving her the look of one who had recently been fucked – thoroughly and truly. As far as he was concerned, it was a good look on her and one he planned to see much more of, although the panic on her face at the moment rather spoiled the overall effect of satiation.

With a nimble flick of his wrist, Jareth balanced the shining crystal on his fingertips, his impish smile making her shiver under his gaze.

"Do you trust me, Precious," he asked, his voice dropping low, the breathy undertone coloring his words making her gulp audibly, her mouth suddenly dry.

He laughed once more as the light of understanding dawned in her eyes, the emerald orbs flashing brilliantly in the morning light, to dance along with the cheeky grin on her face. Holding her hands in front her, palms pressed toward him as if warding him off, Sarah backed up a pace. Then another.

"Oh no, Buster! I remember the last time you 'helped' me get dressed," she laughed, her eyes darting around, looking for a place to escape the crystal she was sure was soon to be headed her way.

"Now, Pet….is that any way to be? After everything I've done for you…and…. _to_  you in the last few days?" he teased in mock offense, the lust-filled darkening of his eyes hinting at the truth not spoken.

Sarah backed up further, grunting as her back ran into the open French doors leading to the balcony. Scooting to the side, she attempted to slide between a bookcase and the headboard of his bed, eyes still darting around the room.

… _.Really….this penchant he has for lobbing crystals at me is soooo unfair!..._

"Tick-tock, Precious," Jareth sing-songed, as an elaborately gilded stop-clock appeared by the door, the seconds ticking down with an audible "TICK…TICK" that seemed to echo in the room. "My advisors are nearly here, and while I have no objection to you being so tantilizingly naked in my room, I am, if nothing else, somewhat possessive when it comes to  _my_  Champion.I would hate to have to bog my own advisors for having laid eyes upon something that should, by right, belong only to the King. Would you really wish me to punish them just because you are being stubborn and suspicious and won't allow me to clothe you? Is that… _fair_ , Sarah?"

Emerald fire burned in her eyes as she felt her face heat at his words.

"Throwing my own words back at me, Jareth?" she muttered with a hint of petulance, "If you want to play dirty, I can….Mister 'I'll be your slave'."

"You're running out of time, Dearest. And really, is a lack of knickers worth being caught nude in front of my advisors? Must you defy me at every turn?" Jareth asked in that damnably reasonable tone that he had used on her in the tunnels those many years ago – a tone of voice that sent a jolt of electricity straight to her center, making her pulse and tremble with want. It electrified her then and it did now.

… _.Damn him….._

"All right!" she snapped, "But I expect appropriate underthings this time, Goblin King!"

Jareth laughed, his mismatched eyes glinting wickedly in the morning light. "But, Sarah…. Believe me when I say that the lack of underthings the last time was entirely appropriate. Having to rip underthings from your body later would have been a waste of perfectly good material. If I had my way you'd never wear….."

"Hold it right there," she demanded, interrupting him. "Trust me, you do not want to finish that sentence, Goblin King. Besides, time is nearly up," she said, gesturing at the clock, "So, do get on with it. Just make sure to give me underthings this time.  _Appropriate_ , underthings."

With a sly grin Jareth inclined his head, "Deal."

Flinging her arms wide, Sarah briefly thought that he had agreed a mite too readily and she was probably in for it – again - the thought rapidly fleeing as her eyes screwed shut and her face scrunched up in anticipation of the crystal that was sure to hit her.

"Must you be so dramatic, Pet?" Jareth enquired with a bemused smirk. "The crystals don't hurt, unless I want them to, and I was fairly certain you weren't ready for that sort of thing – at least not yet. However, you do have a penchant for surprising me. If you want to play like that, then ask nicely and I'd be happy to arrange it."

Another jolt of 'want' surged through her at the barely hidden meaning of his words.

Cracking an eyelid, Sarah looked down, surprised at what she saw. In her imaginings of visiting the Goblin Kingdom, she had always seen herself dressed in vaguely medieval styled dresses, but this was nothing like what she had imagined. She was wearing knee high boots of leather that were such a deep green they were almost black, her legs encased in black velvet tights that clung to every curve. Her torso was enfolded in a dress of forest green satin, the tight laced front pushing her breasts upward, soft mounds of ivory highlighting the dramatic color of the fabric surrounding them.

… _.Holy shit! I have cleavage…._

 _Impressive cleavage in fact…._  Giggled her libido, suggesting that she make a show of bending over and 'adjusting' herself, just to see the look on Jareth's face.

The sleeves of the dress hung just off her shoulders in large poufs of material that gathered tightly above her elbows, before falling open in a graceful bell of shimmering green gauze toward her wrists. Arching her neck to look over her shoulder, Sarah gave a brief hip wiggle and gasped as the amazing dress swished behind her. The front of the skirt fell open stopping at mid-thigh while allowing a full view of the velvet tights underneath; as the skirt belled around her, it lengthened – the back teasing lightly against her ankles.

No. This was most assuredly  _not_  what she had thought she would wear, but she liked it. A lot.

"Pleased, Precious?" he asked.

"It's gorgeous," she grinned, her face still registering astonishment.

"I am quite sure it is not what you were expecting. While women's fashion Underground does tend toward the your medieval style, the Goblin Queen being the exception, I thought that as the Champion of the Labyrinth you would be more comfortable in something designed for adventure, rather than lounging about engaging in court gossip," Jareth explained, conveniently leaving out the fact that he had dressed her in a facsimile of the Goblin Queen's daily court wear.

Flashing her a knowing look, he let his eyes wander over her figure and purred inwardly, as he waited.

… _.Three….Two….One….._.

Sarah's eyes narrowed as she registered what she was wearing –  _everything_  she was wearing.

"You cheated, Goblin King," she muttered, plucking at the front of her dress so that she could peer down into the confines of the dress, her suspicions confirmed. "You left out the underthings… _again_."

With a wink, Jareth approached her, holding out a gloved hand. "Now, now, Love. It is rather rude to accuse me of cheating when I merely did as promised. Exactly what, you yourself dictated in fact – appropriate underthings. Was that not what you insisted upon?" he asked, his tone reasonable and teasing, "…demanded really."

Sarah stopped, her lips pursed in considertion. The full realization hit her with a thud that made her face flush and her breath catch.

… _. Damn. Damn. Double-damn…. Bloody Fae and their tricky loopholes….._

 _Seriously…when are you going to start reading the fine-print before making deals with Jareth…._  Snarked her inner-self, feeling vindicated by the fact that Sarah had once again, gotten trapped in a loophole of her own making, like a noose drawn tight around her ankle.

Seeing the light of understanding in Sarah's eyes, Jareth plucked her hand from where it had paused in mid-air during her rant, and raising it to his lips, tenderly kissed her palm, before tucking her hand at the crook of his elbow.

"I believe you will find that due to the design of the dress, no additional corsetry is necessary and the tights, well…they don't allow much room for additional layers," he chuckled, leading her toward the door. "And truth be told, Precious," he paused, his voice dropping low in a conspiratorial tone, "Reducing the number of items on you means that I can get you out of them and back into that rather lovely nude state, that much faster when we have finally finished court business."

 _WHOHOOOO!_  Shrieked her libido, going giddy at the mere thought of being once again naked and entwined with Jareth's coolly naked form, amongst the silken sheets of his bed.

"Now then, I think it is time to meet my advisors," he said, opening the door.

Stepping into the hall, Sarah gasped as it began to dissolve around them. The last thing Sarah heard was Jareth's frustrated roar – "BLAST!" – before she found herself standing once more in her bedroom at the Alpha Chi Omega house.

"Son of a bitch," she growled, flouncing onto her bed angrily. "This whole four hour thing is really becoming a royal pain in the ass."

Sarah pounded her fists against the bed as she screamed into a pillow.

… _.Again….SOOOOO not fair!... And now I can't see him again for four hours….._

She screamed once more into the pillow, kicking her legs against the mattress and sending two goblins yelping from under the bed in fear. Huffing in frustration, she stilled, her mind ticking over what her next move should be – go to class or skip it entirely in favor of holing up for a session with her new battery-operated boyfriend. So far, skipping class was winning.

Then...she sat up, a wicked smile shining in her emerald eyes.

There was a way.

She just had to be conniving. Be tricky.

In other words - think like the Goblin King, himself.

And Sarah laughed.

* * *

Still grumbling from the abrupt disappearance of Sarah, Jareth stormed into his study and threw himself into his desk chair, startling his two most trusted advisors as they stood waiting for their morning audience with him.

"Problem, Your Majesty?" enquired the tall, dark haired elven male as he placed a sheaf of papers on the desk before the Goblin King.

"Nothing that concerns you, Gaelin," snapped Jareth, his fingers closing around the quill laying on the blotter as he began to skim the papers in front of him, signing those that needed them and initialing others. Thrusting the completed paperwork back at Gaelin, Jareth leaned back in his chair and propped his feet upon the desk, "Okay, Gaelin, get on with the morning report."

Jareth half-listened to the report as Gaelin droned on, going over the reports of the previous day and the calendar for today, all the while counting down the time until he could return Aboveground and fetch Sarah back with him.

 _It is your own fault, mate…._  Griped his libido  _….Too smart for your own good sometimes with that four- hour clause - four hours per fantasy and an additional four hours before you can return Above. Gah! Idiot!_

… _.I had my reasons…._ Jareth countered, feeling his ire rise  _… I did it because I wanted her to feel safe and to trust me….._

His internal dialogue was cut short with a loud grunt as a sudden weight crashed down upon him with a distinctly feminine 'yelp', his arms wrapping around it in an instinctive reaction. Blinking in confusion he looked at the huddled mass swathed in green silk that had suddenly appeared in his lap.

"S-Sarah?" he asked, his shock giving way to amusement at her awkward posture – her knees pulled toward her chest while her hands covered her face.

"Fucking Hell." Sarah muttered.

"Nope. This isn't Hell. As to the rest of it, well…I suggest we consider that as an activity for later," Jareth teased, before dipping his lips toward her ear.

Peering over the top of her hands, Sarah turned toward the sound of the Goblin King's voice. Blushing scarlet at the sight of his bemused smirk, she buried her face once more in her hands. Jareth merely laughed, wrapping his arms around her more securely and settling her against his chest.

"Come. Come, Precious," cajoled Jareth, tugging gently at her hands, "No need to hide your charming face. Although, I must say, you certainly do know how to make an entrance."

Blushing further, Sarah slid a hand through her hair, smoothing it before turning to give Jareth a sheepish grin.

"Care to share how you managed to return to me, when by the rules of our agreement we are unable to return to each other for four hours after the time limit is reached?" Jareth felt his insides burn at the devilish grin Sarah gave him, her eyes alight with impish glee.

"Simple, I decided to think like the most sneaky, Fae I know. I just asked myself what the Goblin King would do and the answer came to me," she replied mysteriously.

Raising an eyebrow in his characteristically sardonic smirk, Jareth's eyes narrowed as he looked at the squirming young woman on his lap.

Grinning at the calculating look Jareth gave her, Sarah continued, " I just took advantage of a loophole."

"Loophole?"

"Yup. A loophole," Sarah giggled, winking cheekily at him as she tried to slid off his lap once more, and failed due to the firm grip he had upon her hips. "The rules stated that  _you_  couldn't return Aboveground for four hours, but they didn't say that I couldn't come _here_."

Curling his tongue around pointed canines, Jareth considered this...  _She is right. Sneaky girl. Using my own loophole against me…._

 _I just wish she'd use other things against you – preferably naked, soft and silken body parts….._ drooled his libido in a fit of lust….. _If you let her get away this time, I will never speak to you again, mate!_ It threatened  _…. She is your match in every way! She can even_ _ **think**_ _like you! You'd be crazy to let her go again!_

… _. As if I had any intention of letting her go the first time…_ Jareth grumbled inwardly…. _I certainly have no intention of letting her escape me this time….._

"Clever wench," purred Jareth, leaning in and lightly nipping Sarah's earlobe, momentarily forgetting they had an audience. "And just how did you manage to get back here? The goblins in your closet are not powerful enough to transport you."

"Easy. I wished it," Sarah announced. "Although, the wording might have been somewhat problematic, since the Labyrinth seems to take things far too literally. I wished to be taken to you, not to land in your lap!" she explained, trying once more to stand, and failing as Jareth's fingers dug more tightly into her hips.

"Must I remind you to be careful what you wish for, Precious? Wishing is serious business. You of all people should know that by now. You are just lucky I wasn't in the bath," chided Jareth, the flash of mischief in his eyes hinting at the wicked thoughts dancing through his mind at the thought of having her once more in his bath.

"Bah! You'd enjoy that too much!" countered Sarah with a laugh, pushing against his chest and wriggling further toward his knees. "Don't even try to act like you wouldn't."

With a low groan, Jareth's arms tightened around her once more, pinning her in place. "Will you stop that infernal squirming, woman! You're driving me to distraction as is and there are things that must be accomplished before I can drag you back to my bed."

It was at this point that Gaelin cleared his throat, deciding it was prudent to remind the King that he and the mysterious lady who had abruptly appeared in his lap, had an audience. Sarah gasped, her face flushing hotly as she noticed the dark-haired male standing slightly behind Jareth's chair. Even Jareth had the good grace to look somewhat sheepish, although he quickly schooled his features into a look of smug, self-confidence – he was King after all – if he wanted to wrestle with the attractive woman in his lap, it was his prerogative.

Pushing against him once more, Sarah squirmed over his thigh, trying desperately to put her feet back onto the ground and move away from what she was sure looked to their audience as a distinctly compromising and improper position.

"Let me go, Jareth," she whispered urgently, wriggling further.

"No. I want you here," came the firm reply. "So stop wriggling and relax, Sarah."

A gasp sounded from the other side of the desk. Sarah's head whipped around and she groaned seeing the blushing face of woman with long blonde hair, sitting upon a sofa at the other end of the room.

… _. Seriously….could this morning get worse? I've just been giving two complete strangers a show… They are going to think I'm just the King's strumpet or something…._

" _The_  Sarah?" asked the other woman.

"Yes," chuckled Jareth, adjusting Sarah's perch on his lap once more. "Sarah, meet Gaelin," he said, cocking his head toward the man behind him, before nodding toward the woman on the sofa, "… And Violante. The advisors I was telling you about earlier. Gaelin and Violante, I present to you Miss Sarah Williams of the Aboveground, and the reigning Champion of the Labyrinth."

Bobbing her head, Sarah managed to form a coherent and polite reply, "Pleased to meet you." Followed immediately by, "Champion…wha….?"

"Hush, Precious…. I'll explain later. Morning reports first. And  _do_  stop that wriggling. You are making it quite impossible for me to concentrate on anything Graelin is likely to say."

"Put. Me. Down," growled Sarah in exasperation, as Jareth adjusted her again, his hips arching upward just enough that she could feel the solid ridge beneath her – her face flushing once more at the realization of why he was so insistent that she quit squirming.

… _.Serves him right…. It is his own fault….._

 _Nice to know that you have an effect on him…._  Drawled her libido _….. Of course in those trousers, any effect would have the potential to be embarrassing….._

… _.Again….I say it serves him right!..._  Sarah thought, giving a deliberate shimmy of her hips.  _….Take that, Jareth!..._

"Stop. That," Jareth ground out, his voice low in her ear.

"Make. Me," retorted Sarah with a devilish grin.

"Excuse me a moment Graelin," Jareth said dryly over his shoulder, before twisting his hand into Sarah's hair tightly, arching her neck and drawing her lips to his in a deep, insistent and thoroughly breathtaking kiss. When she stopped squirming and seemed to melt bonelessly against him, he released her lips, his fingers tenderly combing through her hair, before caressing her cheek.

"Finished, Pet?" he asked, his voice a rasp of velvet against her ear.

"Quite," Sarah conceded breathlessly, feeling the ridge beneath her thigh pulse, resulting in her own insides trembling.

With a flick of his wrist, a coffee cup and a plate of pastries appeared before Sarah on the desk. "Eat, Precious," he murmured, his lips grazing lightly upon her cheek, before gesturing toward Graelin, "Do continue, Graelin."

Violante blushed watched her king soundly kiss the young woman in his arms and seeing Sarah's eyes fall on her, turned her attention to the papers spread on the coffee table in front of her, her long blonde hair falling across her cheek to hid the pink tinge of her cheeks.

The kingdom report continued and Sarah tried to pay attention the details as Gaelin continued to drone on, but it was really dull.  _… Poor Jareth having to go through this day after day. No wonder he taunts Hoggle, it is probably the only thing that keeps him sane…._  As Jareth and Gaelin lost themselves discussing an upcoming meeting, Jareth's hands fell from Sarah's hips and she gladly took advantage of it, sliding from his lap and quickly settling down next to Violante on the sofa. Sensing her movement, Jareth merely looked at her, raising a questioning eyebrow in his characteristically smug way, before returning his attention to Graelin and the morning report.

Snuggling into the corner of the sofa with her coffee and pastries, Sarah took a good look around Jareth's study. Like most things she had encountered on her latest trip to the Goblin Kingdom, the study was not what she expected.

 _When will you learn not to take things for granted…._  Snarked her inner-voice, shaking its head in dismay.

It was a large room, a large balcony and French doors on the far wall, opposite the door. To the right of the balcony was a large fireplace, framed with a mosaic of fairy tale creatures  _…. Well….I suppose here in the Underground they aren't fairy tale creatures, but actual creatures…._  Sarah mused, her eyes drawn to the brightly colored bits of tile and made up the exotic art around the fireplace.

The wall opposite the fireplace was lined with nothing but shelves. Shelves, upon shelves of books, papers, scrolls. Some of the shelves were so full, the papers threatened to fall out of them – and some places already had, laying scattered on the floor amongst stacks of books that had not yet been put on the shelves. Sarah's fingers actually began to twitch looking at the messy shelves – if there as one thing she hated, it was disorganized book shelves (neat shelves being something of an obsession with her).

… _.Next trip, I'll have to see if I can get him out of here long enough to organize those shelves…._  she wondered.

 _Already planning on another trip are we?_  Asked her inner-voice with a knowing smirk.

 _Forget the shelves…._  Demanded her libido  _…. Next trip, let's see if you can't convince him to stay in bed all day!_

Rather than being ornate, Jareth's desk was made of a dark wood and appeared to be quite heavy as it was rather large. The top was covered with piles of papers, rolls of parchment, quills, pots of ink and an intriguing metal contraption that held a small well of colored liquid over a burning candle, with several metal implements hanging from a hook. It wasn't until Jareth picked up an implement that turned out to be a miniature ladle and scooped up some of the swirling red liquid that she realized what it was – a wax seal crucible. She watched as Jareth ladled the wax onto a freshly signed document, then quickly pressed a ring to the wax, before sliding it back onto his hand.

… _.Hmm…never noticed that ring before….._  she thought idly as she watched…..

 _Only because you are more interested in looking at other parts of his anatomy…._  Snickered her libido – quite rightly, as Sarah blushed considering what parts of Jareth she was rather interested in upon this trip.

 _That said, he does have rather lovely hands…._  Interjected her inner-voice.

 _Not to mention talented …_  drooled her libido, flashing up memories of Jareth's hands covered in buffalo wing sauce, while wondering what it would be like to suck those long, and oh-so-talented fingers into her mouth. Sarah was so engrossed in the image that she didn't realize until it was too late, that Violante had been talking to her.

"….you rooms?"

"Um…. Sorry," mumbled Sarah embarrassed to be caught out in such a way, "Could you repeat that. I didn't hear you clearly."

"I asked if His Majesty has assigned you rooms within the castle. As the chatelaine, I would be happy to do so, if you are going to be with us for awhile, that is," smiled Violante, her pale purple eyes shining with friendly light.

"Oh…well…thanks. But…um….." Sarah glanced at Jareth, but he was lost in a discussion of goblin mining rights and not paying the slightest attention to anything but Graelin and the mining map in front of him. "I'm only visiting for the day."

"Oh," frowned Violante, her face falling at the news. "I had assumed that since you were the Champion, you would be spending more time here. I could have rooms in the guest wing prepared for you if you'd like – just in case."

Smiling, Sarah nodded, not having the heart to tell Violante that she didn't think she would ever be back after today.

"Actually, Violante, as my Champion Sarah will have access to the Queen's Chambers anytime she should wish to make use of them. Please assign a maid to those rooms and see they are always ready," commented Jareth, winking briefly at Sarah, before returning to his conversation with Gaelin.

"Queen's Chambers…." Violante nodded, blushing slightly. "Of course, as Champion that would be her right."

"Sneaky bugger," muttered Sarah, shaking her head in amusement. "Never can tell if he is paying attention or not."

Violante giggled and nodded, leaning close to Sarah, she whispered, "Yes. He is a bit like that. I find it is best to always assume he is listening, less likely to be bogged that way. Although, considering the way he responded when you appeared, I can't see that it would be likely he would bog you at all."

"I'd like to see him try," whispered Sarah conspiratorially.

"I  _heard_ that," intoned the Goblin King, eying the ladies on the sofa with mock sternness, until they giggled, then turning his attention back to Gaelin.

Tucking her feet underneath her, Sarah nibbled on a danish as she watched Violante work on the papers scattered across the coffee table in front of them. Sarah surreptitiously studied what Violante was doing, taking in the parchment with a large square drawn on it, with 18 smaller squares spaced around it. Periodically Violante would write in some of the smaller squares, pause, then frantically scribble out what she had written.

"Can I ask what you are doing?"

"I'm the chatelaine," Violante said with a small shrug, as if that answered the question.

"Yes…I got that earlier. So you are in charge of seeing that the castle runs smoothly. Organizing everything from housekeeping rosters to menus and the purchasing of supplies," answered Sarah, still eying the paper curiously. "So what is this you are working on? It certainly doesn't look like a roster or menu."

"His Majesty is hosting the quarterly Undeground King's Council and I am trying to sort out seating for the banquet. But it is impossible. Every one of them has people they will and won't sit next to, places they will or won't sit. It is a nightmare," sighed Violante, tossing her quill down in frustration. Seeing Sarah smile, Violante pursed her lips. "Why are you looking at me like that, Lady Sarah?"

Without a word, Sarah hopped up, pointedly ignoring Jareth as she plucked a blank sheet of parchment from a stack on his desk. Leaning over so her cleavage was planted on the stack of papers in front of him, she grabbed a spare quill and gave him a cheeky wink before returning to the sofa.

Quill poised above the parchment, Sarah grinned at Violante, ignoring the way Jareth's eyes burned into the back of her head, "Okay, give me the list of people and their likes and dislikes and I'll help you sort out the seating."

Seeing Violante's confused look, Sarah only laughed, the sound chiming merrily around the room. "I love puzzles," explained Sarah, nodding toward the seating chart on the table. "I always have. Puzzles, riddles and even….  _mazes_ ," she turned, giving Jareth a sly smirk before returning her attention to Violante. "This is just a logic puzzle and they are a particular favorite of mine. I love a challenge….let's do this."

Smiling at the strange girl who was the King's Champion, Violante just shook her head before listing off the various guests and their details, while Sarah scribbled down notes. She watched Sarah with interest, as the brunette settled cross-legged on the floor next to the coffee table and began to draw tables of names across the sheet of parchment, muttering to herself as she worked.

Ten minutes later Sarah sat back and perused her work, nodding to herself before grabbing Violante's blank seating chart and rapidly slotting names into seats.

"Piece of cake," announced Sarah, tossing the quill onto the table with a satisfied grin. "Even the troll king should be happy and he was the pickiest of the lot!"

Violante's jaw dropped in shock. "Surely, you can't have finished already! I've been working on the seating for the last week!"

Grabbing the seating chart, Violante read it over shaking her head in disbelief. Looking up at Graelin and the Goblin King, Violante shook her head again. "She did it. I can't believe it! Ten minutes and she completed a task I've been working on all week," she muttered, sliding the completed chart onto the desk, where the King and Graelin leaned over the examine it.

Pale eyes twinkled devilishly as the Goblin King looked at Sarah, who had smugly settled herself back onto the sofa with a fresh cup of coffee from the nearby pot.

"And this is why she is my Champion and Queen candidate by right of conquest," Jareth chuckled, smiling fondly at the brunette on the sofa.

Coughing wildly as she choked on her coffee, Sarah spun to look at Jareth, her voice squeaking as she spoke, "QUEEN WHAT?"

 


	13. Queen by Right and Conquest

**Chapter 13: By Right of Conquest pt 2**

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**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing….except a copy of the Labyrinth DVD and a very dog-eared copy of the original US edition book.

 **WARNING:**  Some steaminess. Some language. More UST. And some adult-type touching (whohoo!)

 **Author's Note:**  Okay…as promised here is the second part of this chapter. The last chapter should be up by Sunday night (expect the chapter to be on the longish side as there is A LOT left to cover).

As always…please feed the author – reviews are my fav snack. :)

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**Ch. 13: Right of Conquest (pt. 2)**

" _And this is why she is my Champion and Queen candidate by right of conquest," Jareth chuckled, smiling fondly at the brunette on the sofa._

_Coughing wildly as she choked on her coffee, Sarah spun to look at Jareth, her voice squeaking as she spoke, "What?"_

After that little bombshell, the rest of the day went by in something of a haze for Sarah.

No matter how many times Sarah asked and begged and pleaded and cajoled, Jareth staunchly refused to explain what he meant until after dinner. Each time she asked he merely gave her that supercilious smirk of his, kissed her and said – "Later, Precious." And so she went about the rest of the day, following him from one royal task to the next, only half-paying attention to anything going on around them as her mind mulled over his words – Queen candidate by right of conquest?

… _.What the hell is_ _ **that**_ _supposed to mean?...Bloody infuriating male! Sneaky Fae bastard….._

When the morning reports were finished, having ended abruptly courtesy of his bombshell of an announcement (and Sarah's coughing fit that frightened Violante so badly she insisted upon calling the healer into the study) Jareth hustled Sarah off to listen to open court for the goblins. Upon reaching the informal throne room that she had cut through on her way to rescue her brother, Jareth led her toward the throne, chuckling when she meekly sat on the very edge of the great stone seat, at the far corner of the throne. With a great laugh, he scooped her up in his arms before settling himself sideways on the throne, his legs draping over the edge, and Sarah once more firmly ensconced on his lap.

"Really, Jareth. This can't be proper behavior," muttered Sarah, shaking her head, although wisely foregoing the squirming she had done earlier.

"Says who?" laughed Jareth, his mismatched eyes shining mischievously. "I am King, Sarah. The goblins will see you here and decide that since this is where the King wants you, this is where you belong. And  _it is_  where you I want you, therefore, _it is where you belong_."

She tried a different tactic as she attempted not to wriggle, all the while feeling quite silly sitting on his lap and knowing that at any second the throne room would be filled with goblins that wanted an audience with the King.

"I'm sure your mother would disagree."

"She tried to disagree about it once," replied Jareth, running his tongue along the front of his teeth as he looked at her with a distinctly wolfish grin.

"See. She has sense," nodded Sarah with a hopeful smile.

"Yes…." Jareth continued, his voice rumbling low in his chest as he spoke. "She disagreed when my father did the same to her after she beat the Labyrinth."

"He…She wha…? Oh…" mumbled Sarah, trying to figure out which part of that statement to question first. Feeling Jareth's thigh shift under her rear, pressing her against more 'solid' aspects of his anatomy, her attention was forced back to her current seating arrangement and her face fell when she realized that her attempted argument wasn't going to hold up.

"Mother's disagreement didn't last long though, once Father pointed out some of the perks to it," Jareth purred in her ear. "Like this one…." He chuckled, running his hand down the back of her neck, his gloved fingers lightly tracing down the ridge of her spine before sliding down to cup her ass. "And this…." He drawled with a slight thrust upward of his hips, reminding Sarah once again the 'penalty' for squirming.

 _Penalty nothing!_  Insisted her libido _…. He is right. It is a perk. Now sit back and ENJOY it!_

"Oh…." Gasped Sarah, vaguely annoyed by how breathy she sounded.

Clasping her lightly around the waist, Jareth settled himself against the back of the throne, with Sarah leaning against his chest, then motioned for the doors to the throne room to be opened.

"Jareth! Stop that!" Sarah hissed in exasperation as his fingers slid under her arm to lightly graze the side of her breast, his nose poking through the hair by her ear until his lips fastened around her earlobe.

"Relax, Sarah," he chuckled, his breath a heated puff against the sensitive skin of her neck. "The goblins won't notice a thing. They will be thrilled that you are here at all."

"But…" she insisted, squirming in spite of herself and then stilling at the low growl that emanated from his chest in response.

"Just consider this…. Foreplay, Precious."

And Sarah melted, feeling as if every nerve in her body was now concentrated between her thighs as she tried to ignore the occasional throb that pressed upward against her.

Court seemed to take forever as Jareth teased her mercilessly in ways the goblins couldn't see or didn't notice, from his fingers on her neck and caressing the side of her breasts, to the hand that cupped and teased her ass. Not to mention the random thrusting of his groin upward as he 'adjusted' them on his throne. No, the goblins didn't know what he was doing, but he made quite certain that Sarah did. She knew. Oh yes. She knew all right and wanted nothing more than for court to end so they could return to his chambers, having conveniently forgotten the questions his comments had raised.

 _Oi! Don't go getting too distracted…._  Grumbled her inner-voice, desperately trying to hold on to the questions she wanted to ask Jareth.

 _Questions…what questions? The only question I have is how soon we can get him naked again…._  Sighed her libido wistfully, as Sarah finally took the initiative and decided to fight dirty, giving a lascivious wiggle on Jareth's lap and earning herself another soft groan from the ever-so-kissable lips of the Goblin King, in addition to his low growl of "Tart!"

But of course, returning to his chambers and bed following open court would have been too easy and would deprive the Jareth of his fun – and he was having far too much fun teasing Sarah to let it end so soon.

After court concluded, he made a great production of deciding to lead her on a tour of the castle - one that only made her want him more, as he teased her with his both words and actions. In the portrait gallery, he kissed her until she was so breathless she thought she might faint. Upon reaching the library, he ran his hand over the firm and thick padding of the rounded armrests and whispered in her ear, "Or I could lean you over this and…." All while pressing closely against her back in a very obvious manner. Sarah got his message. Loud and clear. And it made her knees weak at the thought.

In the kitchen he offered her a banana with a knowing look and sleekly hinted at other ways in which food could be used – and not for nourishment in the traditional sense. Leading her into the formal throne room Jareth sat Sarah upon his throne, knelt in front of her and proceeded to kiss the ivory swell of her breasts, exposed as they were by the boning and tight lacing of her dress. Each pinch of his teeth and firm suck of her skin between his lips made her stomach quiver, sending lances of lust coursing through her to glide into sharp focus between her thighs.

… _.Gods…. this is soooo wrong…..I shouldn't be enjoying this….I know he wants me to beg but this….this is ridiculous….._

 _It is only wrong if the tour doesn't conclude back in his bed…._ suggested her inner-voice being far too rational for the hormonal deluge that was current storming through her veins.

 _So beg already!_ Demanded her libido, wanting nothing more than to bar the door to the throne room and sexually harass the King on his own throne – an image that both Sarah and her inner-voice found oddly compelling and more than a little arousing.

As he led her from the formal throne room Sarah glanced down and blushed crimson at the sight of the artful array of bite marks and growing love-bites that now decorated her flesh – on display to anyone who dared look, thanks to the boned construction of the dress.

Winding their way through the formal dining room, Jareth spun her, pressing her back until the edge of the heavy wooden tabletop pressed against the back of her thighs. With a gentle lift, he sat her on the table, his hips finding their way snuggly between her thighs as he once again ravished her mouth, teasing a needy moan from her lips as his tongue drove past hers, thrusting and taunting her relentlessly. Caught in his rapturous kiss, Sarah didn't register his weight pressing forward, laying her back on the table. Her mind registered nothing except the delicious sensations his kiss was eliciting in her body and the way her very being seemed to sing out in search of more of his touch – touch he was more than willing to give. Jareth's lips moved from hers, nibbling and biting at her neck, down over the swell of her breasts, making her arch upward against him, her back bowing upon the slickly polished wood of the table.

"I  _could_  take you here, Sarah. A flick of my wrist would lock the doors. Or would you rather I take you like you are, wantonly writhing on the table, the doors unlocked to where anyone could find us," he murmured, his teeth grasping the lace at the front of her dress and giving it a gentle tug.

Sarah heard a hoarse moan of desire and gasped, realizing it was her own. At the feel of the laces of the dress loosening slightly from the tug, she came to herself, eyes opening to see the Goblin King's pale eyes dancing impishly inches from hers.

"Maybe….next… time," she managed to pant, plucking the lace from his teeth as she sat up. Retying the front of her dress, Sarah double-knotted it for good measure, much to Jareth's amusement.

"As if a mere knot would stop me, Precious."

Taking her hand he pulled her once more to standing, swiftly guiding her toward a set of heavy double-doors. Pushing the doors open with a flourish, he led her into the ballroom, the elaborate parquet dance floor in the middle of the room surrounded by Grecian style columns that extended from floor to vaulted ceiling. Jareth sought her lips once more, this time in a slow, sensual kiss, his velvet tongue teasing the seam of her lips, inviting entry rather than demanding it. A soft sigh slipped past Sarah's lips as her arms wound around his shoulders, fingers losing themselves in the hair at the nape of his neck. Then it all changed, as she found herself pressed hard against one of the pillars that ringed the dance floor, the sweet sensuality of the kiss contrasting sharply with the firm, forceful caress of his hands over her thighs, sliding under the rustling satin of the dress, to glide over the velvet that encased her legs. Effortlessly, she found herself being lifted, until her legs wrapped around his hips.

The kiss deepened in intensity, but not force, Jareth's tongue slipping against hers like a silken caress, all the while his hands kneaded and caressed her, sliding over her back and legs. Losing herself in the kiss and the feel of his hands, Sarah found herself unabashedly moving against his body seeking the pressure-filled touch that would drive her over the edge, and encouraged onward by the gentle rumble of contentment that burst from Jareth's chest. Pinned between his hard body and the unyielding pillar, Sarah felt the quiet storm building in her body, gathering deep in the pit of her belly, like thunderheads colliding on a stormy summer's day. With each sultry pull of her tongue against his, the feeling grew.

A sudden cry was wrenched from her lips and swallowed by his hungry mouth, as Jareth's fingers found her heat, honing in upon the magical spot with the pressure she so desperately wanted. She tried to fight it - to fight the forbidden carnality of this. To question the way he pushed her outside of herself in ways she had never dreamed.

"No…" she gasped, panting as she tried to tear her lips from hers, but unable to escape his persistent mouth. "Can't. Do. This. Here…."she moaned against his lips, returning the kiss before remembering herself once more and trying again to protest. "Not. Right….."

Never ceasing his seductive caresses, Jareth nipped her bottom lip, sucking it sharply before replying. "You're over-thinking it, Sarah. Stop bloody thinking and just feel," he commanded, his voice dropping low in a way that made her whole body tremble violently against him.

The fight left her as she opened herself up to the sensations. Grinding against the fingers that danced over her, Sarah whimpered with abandon, as she clung to him.

"Feel," he whispered, his lips finding their way back to her neck.

Sarah groaned, arching sharply against him.

"Enjoy," Jareth murmured, the word vibrating under her skin.

She gasped, eyes flying wide as the thunderheads within her swirled fiercely, spinning deep inside her until she felt she would burst.

"Surrender," he breathed in her ear, so softly that she barely heard it, yet her body instantly reacted to the quiet demand that unleashed the storm within her.

Sarah screamed.

The sound echoed vibrantly throughout the ballroom as she shuddered her release, trapped between the unwavering, heated hardness of the Goblin King and the stout pillar behind her. Ears ringing with the intensity of the hormonal storm that rushed through her, Sarah collapsed against his chest, feeling as if her body had been battered by hurricane-driven waves, her heart thudding frantically in her chest.

Feeling Jareth tenderly set her back on her feet, arms still wrapped around her until she regained her balance, Sarah had to laugh.

"What is so funny, Pet?" he asked as he gently pressed his lips to her forehead.

"When you asked me to spend the day, then told me we weren't going to stay in your bed, I didn't expect anything like  _this_ ," she replied, gesturing around the ballroom before straightening her dress.

Brushing a stray tendril over her shoulder, Jareth smirked at her. "Well, while we couldn't spend the day in my bed, as much as I would have liked to, that didn't mean I had no intention of making you writhe and scream my name a few more times before I send you home."

Her hands upon Jareth's hips, Sarah pointedly glanced down, her lips tugging into a sly grin as she leaned in and lightly kissed his lips.

"Hm… then thanks for the boon, Goblin King, although I didn't mean to give you a… _hard_  time over it," Sarah said, her voice a sultry purr in the sudden quiet of the ballroom.

Chuckling, Jareth nipped her bottom lip. "Cheeky wench. Are you offering to help me with it?"

"Maybe later," Sarah giggled, her hand snaking between them to tease lightly across the bulge that he had taunted her with all through court.

Before Jareth could react, Gaelin appeared in the doorway. Sarah bit back a laugh as Jareth smoothly stepped to the side, hiding his current 'predicament' behind the fullness of Sarah's skirts.

Seeing the Champion's flushed face, and the self-satisfied smirk on his King's face, Gaelin chuckled inwardly, knowing that much more than a tour of the castle must have been going on – a suspicion he had had since he heard the King's name being screamed earlier.

"Please pardon my intrusion, Your Majesty. But your assistance is needed in the Nightmare Wood to deal with a small matter."

Sighing, Jareth nodded at Gaelin. "Take Sarah to my study and see that she has lunch brought to her. Send Violante to keep her company."

Softly kissing Sarah's forehead, Jareth smiled quietly at her. "I am sorry, Precious. But, you cannot accompany me on this task. It is far too dangerous, even for my Champion," he said with a small smirk.

Sarah watched as Jareth glided to the bank of balconies that lined one wall of the ballroom, and with a quick step, launched himself over the edge. His body gave a shudder as he transformed into a snow, white owl.

The shrill cry of the owl sent a shiver of desire through Sarah's body as Jareth flew off into the distance.

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Sarah's afternoon passed faster than she expected it would, given the absence of the King. Violante and Sarah discussed the pitfalls and pressure related to keeping the castle running smoothly, and Violante regaled her with tales of goblin mayhem. Appearing in the room three hours later, Jareth was surprised to see Sarah curled up asleep on the sofa, with Violante curled up in a chair going over menus for the upcoming King's Council. Placing a finger to his lips warning Violante to keep silent, he crept up on Sarah and gently scooped her up, the two of them disappearing in a haze of silver glitter as Violante made a note to get a maid in to sweep up the mess.

When Sarah awoke some time later, she was pleasantly surprised to find herself tucked back in Jareth's bed, her head resting on his chest as she slept, while Jareth sat propped against the pillows reading. Blinking, she rubbed her eyes and looked up at him, smiling as he peered down at her, his eyes showing a gentleness she never expected from him. This was certainly not the villain of her childhood.

"Welcome back, Precious. I was wondering how long you planned to sleep," he chuckled, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

Stretching, Sarah sat up, pulling her knees to her chest and snuggling into the crook of his arm, "You could have woken me."

Jareth nodded, his book now laying forgotten upon the bedside table as he wrapped both arms around the woman beside him.

"I could have, but you were sleeping so nicely and after your interrupted sleep of last night, I thought it best to let you enjoy your nap."

Sarah purred inwardly in contentment as she basked in the warmth of his arms.

"So will you explain things now?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him and trying to look innocent – while failing utterly.

Laughing, Jareth rolled her out of his arms and off the bed. "No. And you can stop trying to sneak the question in, Precious. I am not going to fall for it. Dinner. First," he insisted firmly, his eyes flashing with amusement as she gawked at him. "Speaking of which, dinner should be served shortly. You have time for a quick shower beforehand."

At that Sarah grinned wickedly and with one sharp tug loosened the laces on the front of her dress. A quick shimmy later saw it draped across a chair, her boots tossed nearby as she ran toward the bathroom wearing only her tights, "Race you!"

For the next hour the royal wing of the castle echoed with laughter and the odd scream of delight from Sarah – after all, the King was never one to pass up a challenge, and Sarah was nothing if not challenging.

Dinner itself was a much more raucous affair than usually seen in the Goblin Castle. The goblins who served streamed through the room performing their tasks as per usual, all the while fascinated by the way their King and the Lady carried on. Outside the dining room doors and the doors leading to the serving area, throngs of curious goblins gathered, hoping for a peek at the King and the Lady as they ate, the sound of their laughter carrying throughout the lower levels of the castle – something the goblins were not used to from their king. By the time desert was served, the serving staff could barely reach the doors for the mass of goblin bodies pressed against them.

Oblivious to their curious audience, Sarah and Jareth ate and drank as they continued to engage in their battle of thinly veiled innuendo and snarkiness, interspersed with random moments of breathless snogging and not so innocent touching. As far as dinners went, Sarah was convinced this was both the oddest date in history and the most fun.

"Can I ask a question, Jareth?" Sarah smiled, lifting his hand from where it was teasing long her inner thigh and placing it back upon the table, a giggle escaping her at the little-boy pout he gave her. "Oh seriously, you've been doing that for the last 10 minutes. You can put your hand back later."

Raising an eyebrow at her, he gave her a darkly hungry grin, "Promise, Pet?"

"Yes."

"Then ask your question," Jareth murmured, returning to his soup with a 'slurping' sound that made Sarah's mind flash back to some of the slurping that had happened the previous night. Jareth merely chuckled knowingly as she shivered all over at the memory.

"Stop. Trying. To. Distract. Me." Sarah admonished, squirming in her seat under his gaze.

"I am doing nothing of the sort," he replied, his tongue flicking lazily over the now empty spoon as he looked at her, watching the way her eyes were glued to his mouth. "Can I help it if you are thinking naughty thoughts."

 _Gah…._  whimpered her libido as her inner-voice temporarily went offline due to mental picture overload regarding Jareth and his yummy-talented-and-incredibly-looooong tongue.

"You should just be glad that I am not insisting upon you sitting in my lap again. I could make you sit here with me and feed you myself," he threatened with a smirk at the way she blushed.

Chuckling at the glazed expression in Sarah's eyes, Jareth slid his hand back against her thigh, grazing higher and higher until she jumped and squeaked like a startled rabbit, blinking rapidly and looking at him.

"Your question, Sarah?" he asked with a smug grin, his fingers lightly tapping against her thigh.

… _.Oh yes. Teasing her is far too much fun. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed dinner like this….._ he thought with a sly smirk.

 _Breakfast would be better, mate…._  Suggested his libido  _….Might I suggest you have it in bed next time? Tomorrow would be good in fact._

… _.Indeed…. but not what I have in mind….._

"Um…yeah…my question…." Sarah stammered, finding it incredibly difficult to think and completely unable to remember what had seemed so important only a moment ago.

Sighing, Sarah swatted his hand away from her thigh and went back to her soup.

"Must not have been too… _pressing_  if you can't remember, my Dear," Jareth chuckled, turning his eyes back to his own soup, while his hand crept back to her thigh.

And that is how dinner continued - Jareth teasing Sarah mercilessly, with Sarah attempting to concentrate on eating and failing miserably. On occasion she would get her own back. During the main course she managed to make Jareth choke by timing a light but firm graze of her manicured fingers along his inner thigh, to coincide with him taking a deep drought of the peach wine. As he spluttered in a wholy undignified manner, Sarah merely smiled sweetly, flicking her tongue over the sauce that clung to the tines of her fork – a visual that gave the Goblin King several other mental pictures of other things he would like to see that tongue do – preferably in the very near future.

"Now who is being a tease?" he asked, his voice rasping in the quiet of the room.

"What was it that you said to me this morning?" chirped Sarah with an impish smirk. "Oh yes….I remember now. Just consider this…. _foreplay_."

Jareth groaned, as Sarah laughed merrily. The game was definitely on, it was merely a matter of seeing who would break first.

By the time dinner was over, it took every bit of self-control Jareth had not to transport them both back to his chambers to pick up where they left of in the morning. It was Sarah's coquettish smirk and sultry whisper of, "By right of  _conquest_ , eh?" that kept him from giving in to his baser instincts – much to the annoyance of his libido (and hers, truth be told). So, when Sarah had licked the last of the cream from her desert spoon (having drawn out the process to further torment Jareth, who could not seem to tear his eyes away from her lips and the spoon that she slid over her tongue while she sucked at the remainder of the whipped cream), Jareth plucked the spoon from her fingers and with her hand tucked into the crook of his arm, led her from the castle and into his private gardens.

Having settled himself upon the ground beneath the sacred tree, his back propped against the ancient trunk, Jareth tugged Sarah down, pulling her bodily into his lap. With his arms wrapped around her, he sighed deeply, enjoying the warmth that seeped from her, seeming to wind its way beneath his skin.

"Now then," he began as Sarah rested her head against his shoulder, her chest rising and falling softly as she breathed in the scent of the night jasmine that ringed the garden, tinged with the gentle floral notes of the peach blossoms that bloomed overhead. "I believe I promised you answers to two pressing questions – your peach craving and the issue of your Queen candidacy."

Nodding, Sarah arched her head back to look at him, blushing as his mismatched eyes met hers, a piercing look that made her heart race and her head swim.

 _Ask about the candidacy first!_  Ordered her inner-voice, while her libido nodded frantically in agreement.

… _.No. I don't want to seem….greedy….._  she countered, frowning inwardly.

"Tell me about the peach first…..Please," she asked, her voice quiet amidst the evening sounds of the garden.

A soft chuckle rolled from his chest at her request, as Jareth shook his head before tucking hers under his chin. Sarah purred happily as he began speaking, losing herself in the soothing tenor and the way each word vibrated from his chest and into her skin.

"Actually, Love… the answer to both questions is so entwined, they cannot be explained separately. Just listen…."

_This peach tree is sacred to the royal line of the Goblin Kingdom. It was planted by the first Goblin King, as a reminder of his Queen's home – you see, she was from Above. For years Althar the first Goblin King had searched for a bride. While Althar had no problem finding Fae women willing to be wooed by him, none wanted to be Queen of the Goblins, finding the goblins to be ugly, stupid creatures._

"But they aren't," cried Sarah indignantly. "Okay, so maybe they don't bathe regularly, and aren't the greatest conversationalists, but they are sweet in their own way.

Jareth couldn't help but smile as Sarah, without realizing it, proved once more why she deserved to be the Queen candidate.

"Hush, Precious….no interrupting," he chided, placing a gloved finger across her lips and biting back a groan when she worried it gently with her teeth.

_Now, as King of the Goblins, Althar was charged with accepting those children who were wished away, just as I do now. As done now, he would take the children wished away and keep them here, to be adopted out to Underground families, if their wisher chose not to run or lost the game._

"Adopted? But you turn them into gob….."Sarah paused in mid-thought, realizing that yet again, she was taking things for granted. "The wished away children aren't turned into goblins, are they?" she asked sheepishly, nibbling nervously on her bottom lip.

"No, Love. They are adopted into homes that want them desperately and they grow up as citizens of my kingdom, until they are old enough to explore the other realms here. Now, are you going to keep quiet or must I gag you in order to finish the tale?" came the bemused reply.

"Hmm…kinky…." giggled Sarah, before snapping her lips shut and smiling sweetly at him.

"You have  _no_  idea, Pet," muttered Jareth with a dark chuckle and a wicked grin.

_Anyway, one day, Althar answered a summons and went Above to take the child. When he got there he discovered that it was not a child who had been wished away, but a young woman who had wished herself away in an effort to escape an arranged marriage to a cruel man that she did not love._

"How horrible…." Interrupted Sarah impulsively, before slapping a hand over her mouth and smiling at Jareth.

"Sarah…." Jareth growled softly in warning, shaking his head with a laugh.

_By the rules of the game, the young woman, Gabriella, was too old to be adopted out and Althar informed her of such. Yet, she was so distraught at the thought of staying Above to be sold into marriage, that she threw herself at his feet and begged him for sanctuary in the Goblin Kingdom. Now, by the very rules of the Labyrinthine kingdom, none from Above can enter the kingdom except those who are wished away and those who choose to challenge the Labyrinth to win them back. Being a smart woman, Gabriella offered Althar a deal – she would run the Labyrinth. Not for her freedom, but for the right to become a citizen of the kingdom, thus avoiding the arranged marriage._

_After considering her offer, Althar chose to accept it, being intrigued by her willingness to risk the unknown. Over the course of her run, Althar kept watch over her, becoming increasingly impressed with the way she won over his loyal subjects, turned beasts into allies, and used her own wits and cunning to best the many riddles and tasks that were designed to test the determination of runners. When she reached the castle as required, Althar, true to his word, offered her sanctuary in the kingdom – with one caveat. She had to remain within the Goblin City. While she was allowed to travel outside the city, he wanted her nearby so that he could personally see to her well-being and adjustment as a citizen of his kingdom. Gabriella accepted the terms of the agreement and was moved into a small house at the edge of the city, under the care of an aging Gobliness healer._

_Over the course of a year, Althar regularly visited her, the two of them becoming close friends. Discovering her love for peaches, whenever he returned from Above Althar would bring her a single peach. As time marched on, their friendship developed further, until Althar could no longer deny what he felt for the young woman. Unfortunately, as often happens thanks to the twisted humors of the Fates, just as Althar made up his mind to ask Gabriella to become his Queen, war broke out between neighboring kingdoms. Althar, along with the Goblin Army, left immediately to give assistance to their allies on the northern border._

_Gabriella was distraught at his absence. Having long denied her feelings for him and finding him suddenly swept away from her upon a battlefield, she pined greatly, as she had not been able to tell him the truth before he was called away. The war raged for months, with no word from Althar or his troops. As the war continued, Gabriella began to waste away. Hanita, the healer who had taken her as an apprentice, did all within her power to keep Gabriella's health, but nothing worked. Day in and day out, all she craved was peaches – but none could be found._

_Finally, word came from the battlefront – Althar had been taken prisoner and killed. Gabriella's health failed until she was a pale shell of the woman she had been. The woman who challenged the Goblin King to win her right to freedom, lost all will to live now that her love was gone._

_Several weeks later the troops returned, with Althar, having escaped his captors. Upon arriving back in the kingdom, he went straight to Hanita's cottage to ask for Gabriella's hand, only to find his beloved at death's door. Kneeling beside her bed, his great hands cradling her tiny fingers, Althar begged her to eat. Pleading with her, to eat so that she could regain her health and become his Queen. But it was too late._

_In desperation, Althar returned to the place he had found Gabriella when she had wished herself away, searching for something that would tempt his love and get her to eat once more. There he found a peach tree, growing upon a gnarled and bare hilltop – a single peach hanging from its branches. With nothing left to lose, he plucked the peach from the tree and returned to Hanita's cottage._

_Being too weak to eat, Althar cut a slice of the peach and let the nectar drip past Gabriella's parched lips, hoping for a miracle, but nothing happened. Inconsolable, he lay his head upon the bed, still holding her hand, and wept, having lost the only woman he loved enough to make his Queen._

_Lost in his own grief, Althar slept, the peach lying forgotten in his hand._

_Meanwhile, Gabriella woke from her long sleep, having heard Althar's voice in her dreams for many months, she assumed that she had once more been dreaming and nothing more. Seeing his wizened and forlorn face laying on the bed next to her, she realized that she had not been dreaming, her love had returned to her. And next to him, still clutched in his hand was a peach – the peach she had been craving all this time._

_When Althar awoke, he found his love cradling his head, raining tender, peach flavored kisses upon his face. As a wedding gift, Althar planted the peach pit in the royal gardens so his beloved could have her peaches whenever she wished. Now that tree blooms every week, offering a single ripe peach, all year 'round. The only time this changes is when the Goblin Queen is with child, when the tree blooms continually and is covered in peaches until the child is weaned._

Jareth paused, peering down as Sarah wiped tears from her eyes, a quiet sniff giving away her emotions. Briefly brushing his lips upon the top of her head, he continued the tale, hugging Sarah tighter to him.

_Unlike the full Fae couples, Althar and Gabriella had children, numerous children for a royal couple. As is customary in royal families Underground, the eldest takes on the throne when the current King and Queen abdicate._

"Abdicate? Don't they have to die?" asked Sarah, her brow narrowed in confusion.

"No, Pet. We live far longer than humans. If I had to wait until my Father died to assume the throne, I would likely never be King. Now hush…I'm not through yet…."

_Underground, the eldest child assumes the throne, regardless of their gender. However, the problem with the Goblin Kingdom persisted – there are no Fae royals in the other realms that would want their children to marry into the royal line of the Goblin Kingdom. And, there are no courtiers without royal titles that want to have anything to do with ruling over the goblins, still thinking them ill-mannered, ugly creatures, despite all of the good things they provide through trade to the rest of the Underground. Goblins, by and large, are misunderstood and under valued._

_While Gabriella was still carrying their first child, she and Althar began to worry about how to secure a suitable partner for their heir, knowing the prejudice regarding goblins that was shared throughout the rest of the Underground. One day, while walking through the royal gardens, eating one of her peaches, she spoke to the Labyrinth and outlined a plan._

"The Labyrinth speaks?" Sarah gasped, trying to wrap her head around the idea of a maze speaking.

"Sarah…." Jareth sighed in that warning once more, an indulgent smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at the way Sarah slumped once more into his arms.

_The solution it seemed, was obvious. Since those from the Underground refused to consider marrying into the royal line of the Goblin Kingdom, royal marriages should be made with those outside the realm. But the trick was finding someone who was suitable. Someone who was brave, courteous, smart, cunning and able to see the beauty of both the land and its people. What they needed was a test and being the Labyrinthine Kingdom, a test stood at the ready, it was only a matter of how to use the Labyrinth in the search for a suitable mate for the heir._

_If the Labyrinth sensed the qualities needed of a royal consort in a runner who neared the Goblin City, there would be one final challenge – an enchanted peach._

"You mean, not everyone gets the peach dream?" Sarah asked, her green eyes peering intently at Jareth as he considered his answer.

"Yes and no, Love. Everyone who gets to that point is challenged with an enchanted dream as a diversionary tactic. Peaches are used as they are special within the kingdom. However, when your dream happened, I was, as yet, unaware that the Labyrinth had marked you as a potential consort candidate…..let me finish and you'll understand."

_Once the Labyrinth marked a runner as a potential consort candidate, a peach from the sacred tree would be used to immerse them in an enchanted dream. Should they persevere, breaking free of the enchantment and arriving at the castle, thereby conquering the Labyrinth, they would be marked as the royal consort candidate – King or Queen candidate by right of conquest._

"So… that means I am…." whispered Sarah, her mind whirling as she tried to digest what she had just heard.

"Queen by right of conquest. All that is left, is for you to accept the proposal I offered once before," Jareth replied, his gloved fingers tipping her head back, allowing him to place a heartfelt kiss upon her lips.

"Wow…." Sarah sighed, smiling up at him. Pausing, she pursed her lips, "But that means what you said at the end was…."

"Sincere," finished Jareth. "Yes, Pet. When you reached the castle, I already knew you had won the right to be my consort. My Queen."

"Oh….I thought you were just trying to trick me," frowned Sarah, bowing her head as a cascade of brunette waves hid her face.

Tightening his arms around her, Jareth smiled, his voice quiet and reassuring as he continued, "I know, Precious."

Considering this, Sarah pulled from his arms and turned to look at him, her delicate fingers tracing along the sharp angles of his cheekbones. "But this doesn't explain the craving."

"It does actually. You see, there has only been one other consort by right of conquest – my mother. She wished away her baby sister to escape their abusive father. Upon beating the Labyrinth, she accepted my Father's proposal, in the process saving herself and her baby sister. Having accepted the proposal, she stayed here and the peach tree bloomed for her, a single peach ripening each week. Since you did not stay, although you were the consort by right, you did not have the benefit of the sacred tree or the magic of the Underground to sustain the magical link. I think that is why your craving grew so terribly," Jareth explained, his pale eyes tinged with sadness as he looked at her. "For that, I am truly sorry, Precious. It had never happened before. Had I known, I would have come for you earlier. Anything to save you that pain."

Leaning up, Sarah kissed him tenderly, her eyes soft with unspoken emotion as she breathed in the scent that was uniquely him, "I know you would have. Deep down, I've always known you would one day come for me."

With a happy sigh, Jareth wrapped her back in his arms, holding her close as they sat together beneath the sacred tree. They were silent for some time, each lost in their own thoughts.

… _.I could be Queen…. Jareth's wife…._

 _Which means the Queen's Chambers are actually…._  Gasped her inner-voice.

… _.Mine….. Fuck. Me….._

 _I think_ _ **that**_ _is one of the perks of being Queen…._  Snarked her libido, already imagining some of the more interesting scenarios Jareth had painted for her during his tour.

After some time, Sarah finally broke the silence, "So…um….what do we do about my craving?"

Nibbling Sarah's earlobe, Jareth chuckled, his breath hot against her skin. "Well, you could agree to be my Queen and just stay. That would solve the problem."

"Hah! As far as proposals go, that won't cut it Goblin King," Sarah giggled, digging him lightly in the ribs with her elbow.

"I already proposed once and you rejected me outright, woman. Do you honestly expect me to ask again?" came the somewhat cranky reply, his amusement belied by the dancing flash of his mismatched eyes.

"As a matter of fact….yes. I will need a proper proposal. Besides, I was too young to understand what you were asking last time. A girl needs a proposal worth remembering. And, I have to at least finish my degree. I can't waste all my years of study. So…back to the question. What do I do now?"

"Since you refuse to just move here, I suppose I could have Patty bring you the peach each week. However, given the level of magical exposure you would need to maintain as the Queen candidate, I don't think the peach alone would be sufficient for long. I think it would be best if you had the peach and stayed here in the castle for some time each week," suggested Jareth with a sly smile.

… _. At least she will be spending more time here…._

 _Give her time, and she'll be in your bed on a permanent basis…after all, she took the news rather well…._  Drawled his libido, already picturing waking up to Sarah's sleeping face on a more regular basis.

… _. She has rooms of her own, remember – the Queen's Chambers….._

 _You can't be serious, mate!_  Grumbled his libido indignantly.

 _This is Sarah. If she feels pressured she'll stubbornly refuse….it is best to let her make the next move…_  noted his inner-voice sagely, much to the aggravation of his libido who was pitching a fit that would make a goblin proud.

"Well," said Sarah, eyeing Jareth with a coquettish smile, her emerald eyes hooded as the tip of her tongue teased past her lips, to flick lightly over them. "I suppose I could spend part of the weekend here. Say…Friday nights and the occasional Saturday? Would that do it for you?"

With a deep growl, Jareth swept her tightly against him, his lips seeking hers in a furious kiss, relishing the surprised whimper that escaped her.

"No…that will  _ **not**_   _do 'it'_  for me, Precious. While it might appease your craving for peaches, the only thing that will appease my craving for  _you_  is having you in my bed.  _Every. Night_ ," came the gruff reply, his voice hoarse as she squirmed against him once more. "However, if that is what you are willing to give, I am willing to accept it – for now," he continued darkly, before capturing her lips once more.

Bodies entwined, the passionate kiss continued, the lovers oblivious to the passing of time as they were lost in each other and future nights within the castle walls. It wasn't until the clock began to chime eleven that they broke from each other, lips swollen and bruised with the force of their kisses.

With a reluctant groan, Jareth relaxed his hold upon her, keenly aware of the time. Chuckling, he dropped a tender kiss upon her forehead as Sarah stifled a yawn.

"You need sleep, Pet. It is quite late for you and you have had a big day. Home you go," he said softly, flicking a clear crystal into the air above them and holding her tight as the gardens faded from view.

Sarah gasped as they reappeared in her (thankfully) empty room, Carrie having a late night study session with the pledges. With a tenderness she never would have suspected him capable of, Jareth deftly loosened the laces of her dress, drawing it from her body, his fingertips gliding over her bare flesh as if worshipping it. Then, just when she thought he would push his advantage, he slipped a shirt over her head. Catching the heady scent of sandlewood, pine and leather, Sarah smiled, her emerald eyes bright as she looked at him.

"Your shirt?" she asked breathlessly.

With a wicked grin, Jareth nodded, tucking her under the covers. "Yes, Love. As I told you this morning, I rather like knowing your naked flesh is being caressed by one of my shirts. If I can't have you in my bed tonight, at least give me something delicious to dream of," he purred in her ear, ghosting velvet kisses along her neck.

"Now…sleep, my Love. And remember….tomorrow is Friday. I'll make sure your rooms are prepared for you. However, given the way you entered the kingdom today, I suggest you call for me rather than wishing your way there," he teased, nipping her ear with his teeth and making her giggle sleepily.

"Okay…" she whispered, snuggling down in her bed, her hand still entwined in his. Eyes drifting shut as she basked in his touch, Sarah finally remembered what she had wanted to ask him earlier. "Oh… our Halloween party is tomorrow night. Will you be my date?" she said with a yawn.

Chuckling at the sleepy woman before him, who was barely awake as she tried to make sense, Jareth pressed a kiss upon her lips. "Gladly, Precious."

"Hmmm…..good," Sarah muttered, her voice barely a whisper as sleep quickly caught up with her. "Wear what you wore in the tunnels…."

"Why?"

"Always thought…." Sarah mumbled, "so damn sexy *mumble* stuff of dreams *mumble mumble* Love you…."

And it was Jareth's turn to stare in stunned disbelief.

* * *

Okay gang...we're in the home stretch. ONE CHAPTER left and it is a STEAMY one (lemony goodness abounds!). Leaving lots of reviews for this chapter will encourage me to write the last chapter faster! (yup...I'm shamelessly begging for reviews).

 


	14. 2 Truths, A Dare and a Wish

Chapter 14: 2 Truths, A Dare and a Wish  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sarah, Jareth or the Labyrinth. But I do own a really spiffy 'Babe with the Power' T-shirt :)

WARNING: Lemony material within. If you don't like it or aren't old enough to read it – don't!

Ch. 14: 2 Truths, 1 Dare and a Wish Come True

Two cards.

That was all he needed.

Peering over his cards Jareth looked at Sarah, rather enjoying the view. Her costume was, in a word – stunning. When he first saw her sitting at the table playing cards, he felt his heart seize at the sight of her. She was wearing a white velvet dress that dipped so low in the back it left her entire back exposed, teased only by the fluffy white speckled feathers that edged the material. If he stood in just the right position the dress offered a tantalizing hint of soft globes underneath that begged to be caressed. Unable to help himself, his gloved fingers slid up her back to tease the skin of her neck, relishing the breathy gasp that slipped past her lips.

Then she turned around and took his breath away.

Her face was partially covered by a mask decorated with white feathers and a small beak – an owl, while the front of her dress cascaded low between her breasts nearly reaching her navel, a swath of ivory skin peeking from the gentle folds of velvet. Leaning in close to her, he placed a chaste kiss at the base of her throat, his lips pressing against the fluttering of her pulse.

"Lovely dress you are partially wearing, Pet," he murmured against her flesh, the twist of his smile tickling the sensitive skin. "But it does beg the question – what are you wearing beneath it?"

Her laughter was light and mischievous. "Only what is absolutely necessary."

Jareth fixed her with a piercing look at her cryptic reply. Considering the dress and how much it exposed, he strongly suspected there was very little, if anything underneath – and the thought pleased him greatly, making him glad that he had traded his usual tight breeches for more sturdy and less-revealing leather trousers, that served to hide the rather significant effect Sarah's dress and the hint of what she was not wearing beneath it, were having upon him.

The soft, slick sound of cards sliding across the table pulled him from his reverie. Elegantly gloved fingers reached out to lightly caress the patterned backs of the cards before picking them up, his pale eyes flickering over the new cards. This was good. Very. Good. With a wicked leer he finally spoke, his accented voice low, yet seeming to echo in her ears.

"I'll see your two truths and a dare, raising you one article of clothing and a wish fulfilled."

Two of the three other players folded immediately. Dares, truths and clothing they understood, but bidding with wishes added a whole new dimension to the game; one they quickly understood to be too rich for their blood.

After a quick glance at her own cards, Sarah surprisingly met Jareth's searching gaze, a smug smile dancing in her jade eyes. They had agreed that no magic would be used in the game and Jareth had willingly bound himself to the agreement – being a stickler for rules. Without his magic there was very little chance that Jareth could beat the three aces she held in her hand – the odds favored her.

Are you really willing to take that chance? Questioned her inner-voice, somewhat daunted by the idea of granting Jareth a wish. While his fantasy was rather tame, that didn't mean that every dream or wish the Goblin King had was so simple to grant.

We made that wager once before without a problem, countered her libido with an impish grin. Besides, the chances of him winning are slim to none. And when we win he'd have to give us that sexy leather jacket and grant us a wish. That is an offer we can't pass up!

With a sly wink, Sarah nodded. "I'll call," she purred, her eyes clearly issuing the challenge. "Hope you aren't too attached to that jacket Jareth, as it will look soooo nice on me."

"Lay down," Jareth chuckled, enjoying the faint blush that stained Sarah's cheeks at his double meaning, before gesturing toward her cards.

Giving Jareth a coquettish smile, Sarah fanned her cards upon the table, buoyed by the looks of surprise on the faces around them as her hand was revealed.

"Three aces," she announced with a sultry laugh, the people around them applauding wildly.

Jareth's face fell, making Sarah grin all the more. Playing games with Jareth was always a rush, but winning was even better. Her mind was already ticking over what wish she would ask him to fulfill – after all, there were so many wishes she had that only Jareth could fulfill.

Gloved fingers began revealing his cards, moving with deliberate slowness as he snapped each card upon the table with an audible 'snick' of the slickly-laminated cardboard. 10 of hearts. Jack of hearts. Queen of hearts. Ace of hearts.

"Awe….Poor Jareth. You just missed a royal flush. What a pity," teased Sarah with mock sympathy, before holding out her hand. "I'll take the jacket now, if you please."

Mismatched eyes flashed upward, catching her laughing gaze and holding it, a flicker of doubt shining briefly in her jade orbs as she found herself mesmerized by his piercing stare

"I think not, Precious," he replied in a lilting tenor that made her insides contract and tremble violently as he tossed the last card to the table.

Sarah's eyes were riveted to the card as it spiraled, seeming to spin lazily in the air as if time and the laws of physics had been brought to a halt. Ever so slowly it floated to the table, landing silently upon the wood. And a cheer went up around them.

The king of hearts.

A royal flush. The highest hand possible. Without magic and against all odds, Jareth had won.

Sarah blanched, as all blood drained from her face. The truths and dares she could live with, but losing her one item of clothing and having to grant Jareth a wish was enough of a shock to make her blood run like ice through her veins.

As if sensing her fear, Jareth leaned close, his voice washing over her like warm honey, "Relax, Precious. I will not demand that you honor the bidding here." Seeing the blush return to her face as her shoulders relaxed slightly, he chuckled darkly, "Oh, don't get me wrong Pet. I will relieve you of that most bewitching dress, once we are alone."

Sarah shook her head as she looked around her, unable to believe where she was and still somewhat puzzled as to how she had gone from being dressed in white velvet at a Halloween party, to standing in front of the Liar's Paradox in the Labyrinth wearing what she had worn on her initial run to save Toby. True to his word, Jareth had not asked her to complete her bid at the party, instead sweeping her from the room amid a chorus of complaints from the onlookers who had hoped to see the completion of her dares and truths – but Jareth had something more private in mind.

…Private yes….but running part of the Labyrinth again was hardly what I expected!... she thought ruefully while trying to figure out where she lost control of the evening.

First… you should know by now never to take anything for granted, particularly where Jareth is concerned … snarked her inner-voice, more than a little perturbed by this new turn of events …Secondly… you lost control of the evening the minute you agreed to play cards with Jareth.

Oddly, Sarah's libido was silent on the issue, lost in daydreams involving Jareth and the luscious leather jacket he was wearing.

Upon winning the game, Jareth had ushered Sarah from the room whispering warmly in her ear, "Take me to your room, Precious. Now."

Biting back a moan at the heat his demand brought to life within her, Sarah did as bidden, winding through the crowd of party-goers. As she led him through the throng of people dancing in the large foyer of the house, Sarah had to grin when Angela tried to get Jareth's attention, wriggling her scantily clad form as she motioned for him to join her only to be soundly shot down as Jareth frowned haughtily, leaning close to Sarah and kissing her. If looks could kill, Sarah would be dead based upon arrows of jealousy Angela fired at her. The thought of Angela's reaction almost made Sarah forget the terms of her bid – almost - but not entirely.

When they reached her room, Sarah unlocked the door and slipped inside, nibbling her bottom lip nervously as Jareth entered and shut the door firmly behind them. In the darkened room, Jareth stepped toward her, his keen eyesight noting the way she stepped back as he advanced, a wicked smirk dancing in his eyes at the way her eyes widened trying to see him despite the dark.

"Why so nervous, Pet?" he asked, his arms suddenly snaking around her waist and pulling her tightly to him, relishing her startled gasp. "Do you honestly think I would hurt you?"

"Um…" she stammered, her face flushing at the way his firm thigh pressed between hers, making her body shudder as she fought to remember why she was concerned, in the face of the overwhelming wave of lust that rolled through her. "Hurt? Ahh… no. I don't think so…."

"Then why so concerned?"

"Well, you did win truths and dares and…." She muttered, feeling her knees tremble at the way the feathery wisps of his hair tickled along the exposed skin of her shoulders as he leaned down to press tender kisses along her neck.

"A wish?" he purred, his tone dark and teasing.

Sarah nodded, breathing deeply and letting the scent of him saturate every pore of her being. His lips slid up her neck, peppering her jaw with tiny nips from his sharp teeth, before coming to rest upon her own. Just as quickly as his lips found hers, he released them, pulling her to the bed and settling her upon his lap.

"Relax, Precious. I think you will find that my wish is 'a piece of cake' for you to grant."

As they sat upon her bed, Jareth lounging against the pillows that lined the headboard, holding Sarah securely in upon his lap, wrapped in his arms, Jareth called in his 'truths'. First he asked where she got the idea to dress as an owl, laughing heartily when she explained that she merely wished that the Labyrinth would dress her in a costume befitting the Goblin Queen. Wriggling against the hard length that was pressing insistently against the back of her thigh as she sat upon his lap, Sarah was confident that Jareth approved of the Labyrinth's taste in her attire.

His second question was a bit more difficult to answer. He wanted to know why she liked what he wore in their tunnel confrontation. After much hemming, hawing and blushing, Sarah finally managed to tell him.

"When you first approached me in the tunnels, I thought…." She began, feeling her face burn bright under his intense gaze.

As if knowing how difficult her admission would be, Jareth held her tightly to him with one arm, while using his other hand to lift her face upward, forcing her to look him in the eye as she admitted one of her treasured secrets. "Um… well…. I thought you looked so sure of yourself, not terrifying like you were when I first saw you, but definitely dangerous and something else that I couldn't place at the time. Sensual. Everything about you screamed sex."

Raising an eyebrow at the confession, Jareth fixed Sarah with a sultry smirk, his mismatched eyes twinkling with devilish glee as she continued, "I thought you were going to kiss me and I was disappointed when you didn't, although thanks to you setting the cleaners on me I didn't have much time to dwell on the disappointment until I was back home."

Jareth released her chin, his head bending toward hers until his sharp teeth grasped her earlobe, tugging gently on it as he whispered, "I would have kissed you, if hadn't been so infuriatingly cheeky with your 'piece of cake' comment. So it was your own fault, Pet."

"What? You kiss all of the young girls who run your Labyrinth?" Sarah asked, frustrated at the way her voice sounded shrill to her own ears as she tried to fight the surge of jealousy that engulfed her at the thought, her ears burning hotter at the amused look on Jareth's face.

"Jealous, Precious?" he drawled, his voice dropping a register, becoming darker and more intense. Seeing her eyes flash bright in the darkened room, Jareth sought her lips, capturing them in a passionate kiss that made her moan as goose-bumps raced over her arms and across her shoulders, to dive low between her breasts. Breaking the kiss, he smiled at the breathless whimper that slipped through her swollen lips. "And the answer is no, Love. You are the only runner I have ever had the urge to kiss," he murmured against her ear. "The urge to…possess. To claim. Utterly. And thoroughly."

Sarah's jealousy melted, to pool hotly between her thighs as his words bored their way into her mind. Lost in the haze of lust that his words set aflame inside her, Sarah forgot that her bid included a dare, and allowed herself to relax in his arms, the scent of well-worn leather to enveloping her.

"Hmm….I believe you now owe me your dress," he chuckled, gloved fingers lightly flicking the thin diamante strap that fastened the dress over her shoulder. "As well as a dare and then….my wish."

And that is how Sarah ended up back in front of the Liar's Paradox, having been dared to run part of the Labyrinth again. Jareth assured her that she would be perfectly safe and could use her own magic to leave the Labyrinth at any time should she feel she was in danger, so Sarah agreed to his dare.

The least he could have done was remove the dress himself, muttered Sarah's libido feeling more than a bit gipped, since it had been looking forward to the feel of Jareth's gloved hands sliding over her skin as he removed the dress – personally.

Well… the Labyrinth is really no place for an elaborate confection of velvet and feathers, countered her inner-self, altogether too rationally considering her current situation.

While her inner-voice and libido duked it out over the dress, Sarah sighed and turned her attention to the door guards of the paradox. Although she understood the gist of the riddle, she had never really been able to solve it. Even on her original run she was not sure that she had solved it correctly and this time was complicated further because of why she was running the Labyrinth.

Frowning, Sarah turned around and saw that she was in an enclosed section of the stone maze, and the only way out was through one of the doors.

"Well, well, well," snickered the upper knave on the blue door to her left. "If it isn't Miss Smarty-Pants back for another go."

Sarah felt embarrassment creep through her as the other knaves giggled merrily.

"Wasn't once enough for you, girlie?" challenged the snooty lower knave on the red door to the right.

Ignoring them, Sarah stood up straighter and gave the knaves her best 'I'm-in-charge-here-and-not-afraid-of-you' glare', crossing her arms over her chest as she considered her options. She could choose the same door she chose last time, trusting that the riddle was the same and what she found on the other side would be the same, or she could do the riddle again fully. Neither option was particularly appealing, especially since she wasn't sure if Jareth expected her to run the whole rest of the Labyrinth or just a section of it. And more importantly, she didn't know if Jareth expected her to do exactly as she did last time or not. It was all so confusing and really not the type of dare she expected of him.

Lost in thought, Sarah began to pace back and forth before the doors, muttering to herself, until a quiet chuckle rumbled through the area. Spinning around, Sarah searched for Jareth, having recognized the voice as his, her face falling when she realized he wasn't there.

"Stuck so soon, Precious?" asked Jareth's disembodied voice in a companionable tone, tinged with genteel amusement.

"No," Sarah replied, frowning as she turned her attention back to the doors. "But it might be easier if I knew what the purpose of this little dare of yours was, Jareth. I mean, ordinary dares are designed to embarrass or force the person doing them out of their comfort zone. How does this dare do either of those? Besides that, do you expect me to do exactly what I did last time, or what?"

The disembodied laughter continued, as Sarah's ire rose, only to be derailed by a phantom caress, as unseen lips danced over her neck and a warm voice whispered in her ear, "Are you comfortable and confident, Pet?"

Sarah's hands found her hips as she glared around the enclosure, "Comfortable? Not entirely."

"Then I think it meets the qualifications for a dare as you have outlined them – view it as a challenge. Something designed to make you uncomfortable for a particular purpose," replied Jareth in that damnably reasonable tone of his that made her want to throttle him, usually followed immediately by the desire to kiss him until he was breathless. "Do not make the mistake of assuming that all is as it was, Precious. You will face three challenges in this dare, challenges I have designed specifically for you. While they may seem similar to those you faced the first time, I assure you, they are not."

Huffing, Sarah frowned at the doors once more, as if by staring sharply at them she could determine whether the riddle was the same or not.

"Good luck," chuckled Jareth.

"I assume you will be watching me the whole time," grumbled Sarah, moving closer to the doors but addressing the air.

"But of course, Precious. I wouldn't want to miss your reaction to my little challenges."

Shaking her head, Sarah finally approached the doors. Cocking her head to the side she addressed the upper blue knave, "What is your riddle?"

All four knaves sneered, whispering to each other behind the shields that they clung to.

…Apparently that wasn't the right question…..

Ya think? Snarked her inner-voice petulantly.

Sarah paused, lips drawn as she tried to remember how she got them to tell her the riddle the first time, a smile creeping over her features as she nodded.

"Can you tell me how to get to the castle?"

That did the trick, with the upper blue knave explaining the riddle, which had not changed since her first visit. Feeling more confident, Sarah posed her question and chose the red door, her choice greeted by a disembodied chuckle that echoed in the enclosed stone courtyard.

"Was that wrong?" she asked the air, unsurprised when Jareth didn't respond.

Peering through the doorway, Sarah saw a sun-dappled grove of trees that glittered brightly in the sun. Thanking the knaves she stepped through the doorway onto a path of cobblestones that led into the grove. Sarah followed the path into the trees, entranced by the way everything seemed to shimmer with an ethereal silver glow. Reaching the center of the grove she slowly turned around, having found herself in a small round clearing, surrounded by trees that reached lazily toward the sky above. The only way out of the clearing was the cobbled path by which she had entered.

"Okay," she huffed. "What is the catch? Where is the stupid exit?"

Again, no response from Jareth other than a disembodied chuckle.

"You know, the whole Cheshire Cat, phantom-voice thing is getting old, Jareth," grumbled Sarah, slowly turning to look around the clearing once more. "This is sooo not how I had hoped to spend the evening with you."

"Stop griping and get on with it, Pet. It will be worth it in the end if you would only apply yourself. You made it through the first challenge, only two more to go."

Looking at the trees that surrounded her, Sarah frowned, "I wish I could see the exit."

Squeaking when she realized what she had done, Sarah slapped her hand over her mouth, her body hunching over as she waited for something to happen as a result of her wish. Moments passed before she released the breath she had been unconsciously holding.

"Okay…no harm…" she began when the grass she was standing on fell away beneath her, "Doooooooone!" she yelped as she plummeted down the hole.

Just as quickly as she started to fall, Sarah found herself cradled on all sides by helping hands.

"Oh…it's you guys," she laughed in relief. "Can I go back up please?"

The helping hands said nothing.

"Um…hello?"

Silence hung heavy in the cavern as Sarah hung in the middle, her body carefully held aloft by the many hands. Nibbling her lip, Sarah waited for them to speak, but no words were forthcoming. The longer the silence continued, the more worried she became, until she couldn't stop squirming as she tried to get away from them, gasping as they gripped her harder.

"Okay Jareth. This isn't funny," she panted, finding herself held fast in their grip.

Tenderly, the hands began to touch her, gliding over her calves, teasing along her neck, grazing her sensitive scalp. Hanging in the shaft, Sarah sighed, struggling against the hands as she remembered her earlier encounter with them. Each time she fought against them, they gripped her more insistently, holding her still within the cavern. Sarah shivered at the idea of the creepy hands touching her.

"Relax, Precious," came the ethereal whisper, "Things are not always as they seem."

Sarah whimpered as the hands began to move again, gasping as they removed her shoes, following closely by her vest. Without ever saying a word to her, the hands removed her jeans, shirt and vest despite her attempts to stop them. Once more Jareth had left her without knickers, so in short order she found herself naked and held aloft in a shaft by nothing but silent helping hands.

"Um….Jareth," she squeaked, trying not to sound as shocked as she felt by this turn of events, only to be met with silence. No response from Jareth and still nothing from the helping hands.

Then they began to move again, sliding smoothly over her flesh, making her tremble.

….They feel like leather….. thought Sarah …. Like leather gloves….

Like Jareth's gloved hands, moaned her libido.

Then it struck her – the hands felt just like Jareth's hands. It was like her dream, being touched by many hands – his hands. Giving in to the sensation, Sarah relaxed into their grip, moaning as she found herself stretched out, hands caressing her breasts, teasing the taut buds as other hands pried her thighs apart and began to caress her intimately, making her writhe in their grip.

"Oh my God," she whimpered, as fingers slid easily against her slick flesh, entering her swiftly, her sharp cry breaking the silence only to be replaced with a needy moan.

Unable to fight the multitude of sensations pouring over her, Sarah gave herself over to it, her body being pushed quickly toward the peak. With a keening groan, her body shuddered, thrumming violently in their grasp as the torrent washed over her, her head buzzing as the aftershocks rocked through her. Panting, she shivered at the rapid release, barely registering the soothing caresses of the hands as she was passed down the shaft and deposited in the darkened oubliette below.

Yelping as she dropped from the bottom of the shaft, Sarah braced herself to land naked upon the stone floor of the oubliette, only to find that she landed on something soft and silken.

…. A bed. He put a bed in the oubliette…. she gasped in wonder.

Ohhh…kinky. Chirped her libido. An oubliette isn't a bad place to be if there is a comfy bed and a naked Goblin King.

But there is at least one more challenge first, replied her inner-voice, much to her libido's dismay.

Sarah sat up, and moved to the edge of the bed. As she attempted to rise she found herself being pushed back onto it. Grunting, she sat up and tried again, only to be pushed back once more as if there were a force field around the bed.

…. Um….I guess I'm supposed to stay on the bed? …..

Whohooooo! Cheered her libido, doing an overly suggestive shimmy while imagining Jareth's naked assets and hoping for another up-close-and-oh-so-personal view of said assets.

Before she could consider her current situation further, Sarah felt hands grasp hers, pulling her to kneel up on the bed.

"J-J-Jareth?" she whispered hesitantly, reaching out in the darkness to touch the person who had pulled her upward, and feeling a tendril of fear curl in her belly when she realized she was alone in the dark.

"Two down, Pet….one to go," he murmured, the sound rumbling through the small space, washing over her body as if it were warm water, soothing her momentary fear at the phantom touch.

Sarah moaned as the phantom touch returned, gliding up her arms, and over her collarbone before sliding down her chest. Phantom lips pressed against hers, tender yet insistent. With a low whimper, Sarah found herself responding to the touch, her lips parting as a phantom tongue danced against hers, teasing into her heated mouth. As the kiss finished, she felt a gentle pressure in the center of her back, urging her forward. Without thinking, she found herself leaning over, balanced on her hands and knees, the phantom caresses continuing. With deliberate slowness the phantom hands teased over her back, down the rounded globes of her ass and along her inner thighs. Sarah sighed, arching her back into the touch, seeking more.

In an instant she felt the phantom fingers rest upon the fleshy pearl, still sensitive from the heated ministrations of the helping hands. Sarah moaned as the phantom fingers manipulated the little bud, her insides twisting with desire once more. She fought to hold back, biting her lip to still the barrage of whimpers that threatened to burst from her lips. But the more she fought her urge, the more determined the caresses became, gripping her more firmly, until fingers found her slick flesh once more. The phantom fingers thrust within her, twisting and turning to dance upon the hidden nerve center, making her squirm despite her best efforts not to.

That was all it took.

One touch to that bundle of nerves and her restraint vanished, replaced with a lusty moan and a wanton wiggle of her hips as she sought more. The phantom fingers teased her further, always keeping her on the edge of the release she craved. Over and over she was brought to the brink, only to have the touch stop, starting up again when her breathing slowed. Sarah whimpered with abandon, thrusting back against the fingers as she felt heat creep up her back and down her legs, like a ghostly body bending over hers, a heated ghost of a chest pressing imperceptibly against her back, phantom thighs nudging against hers.

It was then she knew what it would take.

….It is like my dream…..I have to beg…..

"Please….please, Jareth," Sarah gasped, arching into the fingers still caressing and teasing her, but refusing to let her find release.

The touches continued, driving her further still.

Reaching the point of desperation, her breath coming in harsh sobs, Sarah begged the phantom entity, "Jareth…Please! Finish it! Please! I'll do anything!"

Her plea was met by a low growl of lust, "I'll hold you to that, Precious one," as the phantom body pressed down upon her back, filling her with a single fluid movement, which was met with a needful wail of pleasure by Sarah.

Body rocking against the phantom thrusting, Sarah's neck arched back, her mouth open as she gasped and moaned in time to the rhythmic movement. As the sensual torment escalated, the phantom hands returned, dancing, stroking and caressing every inch of her body until she was reduced to soundless screaming and inarticulate whines of desire and need, "!"

A phantom hand entwined tightly in her hair, pulling her head back sharply as teeth tightly grasped the taut tendon in her neck. Phantom fingers pinched the hidden pearl, making her shriek as the release thundered over her, pummeling her from the inside, to leave her trembling and panting for air. Shaking as she collapsed upon the bed, Sarah quivered from head to toe. Laying on the bed, Sarah giggled, her eyes shut tight.

"Wow…" she laughed, stretching out to relax the muscles that had tightened as the torment reached its peak.

Seeing an orange glow from behind her closed eyelids, Sarah cracked her eyes, smiling as she found the oubliette bathed in warm torchlight. Sitting up on the bed, she saw that the door was already placed upon the wall and was, in fact, now open for her to leave. With a sated smile, Sarah rose and started for the door until the feel of the cool air on her naked skin made her pause. Turning, she thought to borrow a sheet from the bed, but found that there were none. Her eyes narrowed as she searched the oubliette for something to cover herself with, finding nothing that would work.

"God…I hope I don't run into Hoggle looking like this," she muttered, before taking a deep breath and stepping into the tunnels outside the oubliette.

The tunnel was dim and quiet as she surveyed where she was.

….The big question is whether this is the same route I came last time or a different one…. Which way should I go, I wonder?...

When in doubt, go right…. Suggested her inner-voice, as her libido purred happily curled up on a stack of notes from her psychology class and looking entirely too pleased with itself.

"Come on feet," Sarah muttered and headed down the right hand path of the tunnel. Silently she followed the tunnel, the dim light and silence making her shiver despite herself. Without warning her feet were entangled and she fell, yelping and struggling against an assailant she couldn't see. Grabbing at the thing wrapped around her feet, Sarah yelled, tugging away….

"The beggar's cape?" she muttered, holding it up and examining it in the low light that surrounded her.

Shrugging, Sarah pulled the cape over her shoulders and tugged it tight around her front as she set off again through the tunnel, her footsteps slow as she felt her way along the stone floor. Sarah walked for some time, becoming more and more unsure of her decision in light of the fact that the tunnel seemed to continue on forever without any deviation.

"Where are the false alarms," she wondered aloud, seeking the solace of her own voice to chase away the eerie silence of the tunnel.

The ethereal voice of Jareth seeped from the very walls, 'tsk-ing' at her. "Taking things for-granted again, Precious? I would have thought you had learned that lesson by now," he laughed, the sound seeming to hang in the air around her.

Huffing, Sarah hugged the cape around her more firmly.

"Seriously Jareth? I'm already naked here, what more do you want me to do before you declare the dare completed?"

"Now. Now, Sarah mine. You know me better than that. Besides, you now owe me a wish. I suggest you get on with things," came the unhelpful reply, accompanied by a faint chiming sound behind her.

Turning around, Sarah strained trying to see the cause of the light ringing noise that sounded vaguely familiar. Off in the direction from which she had come, Sarah saw a dim blue light that seemed to be bouncing nearer, all the while the tinkling chime grew louder. Finally, she was able to make out the source of the noise and the light – a shimmering blue crystal the size of a large peach was bouncing along the cobblestones of the tunnel, rolling toward her. She watched transfixed as it caught up with her, swiftly dodging around her as she stood in the middle of the tunnel and took off in the direction she had been walking. As she tried to follow it, the crystal sped up, pinging and tinkling as it raced through the darkened tunnel, with Sarah panting as she jogged to keep it in sight.

Sarah stumbled to a halt as the blue crystal rolled through an elaborately arched doorway and stopped, spinning lazily in one place, it's blue glow creating a small circle of light in an otherwise black area. Unsure whether to draw closer to the crystal, Sarah paused waiting to see what it would do. As she watched, the crystal began to float into the air, the glow around it growing larger the higher it went. By the time it reached the height of her head, the glow of the crystal had illuminated the room, showing it to be a round cavern, the walls of which were lined with mirrors. Six mirrors in all, hung around the room.

Moving through the archway, Sarah clung to the cape as she walked to the center of the room, until she stood beneath the glowing crystal. Without a word, she slowly turned around, glancing at each mirror as the swirling mists shown in them began to dissolve, revealing moving images. As she completed her turn, Sarah sucked in a sharp breath when she saw that the door through which she had entered the cavern had disappeared, replaced with yet another mirror – she was trapped in a room without an exit.

"Terrific," she muttered.

With a resigned sigh, Sarah surveyed the seven mirrors around her, each showing a different scene, ranging from simple to highly erotic. In one she saw herself and Jareth dancing alone in the crystal ballroom, the navy blue diamante of his jacket contrasting starkly with the white velvet of her owl costume dress. Another mirror showed she and Jareth in a highly compromising position upon his throne, the ecstatic groans and whimpers of the mirror Jareth and Sarah making her face flush hotly as she watched.

"Okay….there is no door. So I have to use a mirror to get out. Right, Jareth?" she asked, addressing her question to the room at large, but finding only silence in answer.

Nibbling her lower lip, Sarah moved from one mirror to the next, taking in the scenes found in each. All told there were two scenes that seemingly had no sexual component whatsoever and five that were sexual in some way.

….The dare is complete, which means I only have to fulfill his wish….

Are you sure it is Jareth's wish you have to fulfill? Asked her inner-voice.

Good question…. added her libido ….Some of the scenes here are things that you have dreamt of too.

Thinking through everything Jareth had told her on her journey this time, Sarah looked at the mirrors once more, then smiled, moving toward the mirror that had replaced the door when she entered the room.

"Hmmm… this mirror and its neighbor show the only two non-sexual scenes and Jareth did say not to take anything for granted and that things were not always as they seemed," she mused, her keen eyes watching the scenes intently. "Maybe sex isn't the wish, even though it was a part of the dare."

Sarah ran her fingers around the gilded frames of the mirrors in question, grumbling quietly when she was unable to find a latch or catch that would open them.

"Okay. So they mirrors aren't doors in the traditional sense," she muttered, stepping back from them to survey them further.

Seriously? Grumbled her inner-voice. And this surprises you how?

Pointedly ignoring her increasingly snarky inner-voice, Sarah returned her attention to the mirrors, deciding that they must work similar to the vanity mirror that she used to speak to Hoggle at home. Silently she examined the scenes once more. In one mirror she saw the crystal ballroom, as mirror Jareth and Sarah danced slowly through the room, a lilting melody carrying from the depths of the mirror, the song at once haunting and comforting. Pulling her gaze from the first mirror, Sarah looked at the second. While it wasn't obviously sexual as the other scenes were, this one was in some ways suggestive. The mirror Jareth was only wearing tight breeches and sat stretched upon a wide stone windowsill, with mirror Sarah, who was wearing one of Jareth's shirts and nothing else, sitting between his thighs and leaning her back against his chest, The two of them cradled a shimmering purple crystal in their entwined hands.

"Things aren't always as they seem in this place," she whispered, steeling herself, as she reached her hand out to touch the mirrored glass that held the dance scene.

Upon touching the glass she felt a strange sucking sensation that began in the pit of her stomach, rapidly rushing outward until with an audible 'pop' she was pulled through the swirling mists of the mirror, only to find herself falling once more. Yelping in shock at the unexpected falling sensation, Sarah grunted in an entirely unladylike manner when she suddenly stopped falling, her body halting with a jerk. Opening her eyes, she saw that she was once again in a dimly lit shaft, with light above her and helping hands all around her.

The hands said nothing, but began to caress and massage her naked flesh after sliding the cape from her body.

"Oh hell. Not again," Sarah gasped, arching against the insistent hands that were teasing against her skin, making her wriggle in their grasp once more.

"Jareth!" she shouted, as the leathery hands became more determined in their kneading of her flesh, making her body quiver at their relentless torment.

"Wrong choice, Precious," he replied with a sultry laugh, his amusement clear in his tone. "You must pay the penalty, then you can try again."

Whimpering, Sarah struggled in vain against the hands as they once again delved deeply and intimately into her, zeroing in on the tender nerve center at the junction of her thighs, teasing it with an expert touch.

"Relax, Pet. Fighting them will only make things take longer. You clearly haven't learned the lesson here yet," advised the disembodied voice.

"And….What…..Is…..The…..Lesson?" Sarah panted as the hands worked on her, making her gasp and moan as the exquisite torment forced her body to respond, the roiling sensation beginning deep inside her.

"Now….you know I can't tell you that, Love. But it is a lesson that will serve you well, and me in turn," came the somewhat cryptic reply, a reply Sarah did not fully register as she was lost to the throes of sensation that tore through her as the knowing hands pushed her over the precipice of her release – the cavernous shaft echoing with her cries of pleasure, before she was once again dropped gently upon the silken bed below.

Curled on her side on the bed, Sarah felt the phantom body pressing against her back, hands tenderly caressing her hip and thigh, urging her to lift her leg. A giggle burst from her at the mental image of how she must look, her right leg seeming to hang in midair, although it felt as if it were propped up on the hip of the ghostly body that was tucked tightly against her back. Unlike her previous encounter in the oubliette which was fast and furious, this time the phantom presence slowly crept closer, gently nudging her swollen flesh before sliding deep within, eliciting a shuddering moan from Sarah as she gave herself over to the sensations.

Despite the slow and sensual caresses of the phantom lover, a lover Sarah fervently hoped was Jareth and not some random spook, Sarah's body rapidly found the peak once more and was forced to hang there by the skillful touches. Again and again she tensed up, fighting to find release, only to be thwarted by the phantom lover, who was holding her on the edge.

Struggling for completion, Sarah was only dimly aware of Jareth's voice as it cut through the lust-addled haze of her mind, "Stop fighting for control, Sarah. Give in."

Remembering her previous experience with the phantom, Sarah began to beg, a babbled stream of entreaties pouring from her lips as her desperation and need peaked. As soon as she began to plead, the phantom caresses pushed her over the edge, sending her spiraling into screaming bliss once more, until she was left trembling and panting in the middle of the bed, phantom hands tenderly soothing her tight muscles. And just as before, the torches in the oubliette came to life, their gentle glow serving to further soothe her.

After resting, Sarah gingerly moved from the bed and began her trek back to the hall of mirrors.

Grumbling, Sarah made another circuit around the room, looking for some clue as to which mirror was the right. While she didn't object to the mind-blowing orgasms she had enjoyed in the shaft of helping hands and the oubliette, she was not sure how much more she could take. With at least five more wrong answers possible, that meant ten more orgasms.

… And after the four I've already had, things are sensitive enough. Too many more and they really will feel like a penalty….

Who knew orgasms could be a penalty, mused her inner-self in awe, while her libido merely laughed with giddy glee at the idea of ten more orgasms.

Ten! And that doesn't even figure in what the reward is for choosing the right wish! Her libido crowed happily, a lusty smirk on its face.

After her third circuit of the room with no solution in sight, Sarah frowned in frustration, growling between clenched teeth.

"I give up…what is the trick, Goblin King?" she demanded, her jade eyes flashing impatiently. "I have to figure out which one is your wish, right?"

"Indeed," replied the disembodied voice, in a tone that she was sure was accompanied by his characteristic sardonic smirk. "Does my oh so lovely, and delightfully nude champion need a hint?"

"Please," she asked, her voice honeyed in its sarcasm.

"Very well," Jareth chuckled, somewhat bemused by how quickly she had given up – he had been hoping she would take at least one more trip through the helping hands and oubliette. "However you have already offered me anything in exchange for passing the last challenge. What will you offer in exchange for a hint now?"

Sarah stopped her pacing and considered this. Having gotten so caught up in the sensation and the subsequent orgasm that shattered her during the previous challenge, she had forgotten that she had made that agreement with him.

….Stupid….Stupid….Bloody. Stupid!... she muttered under her breath, as her inner-voice merely shook its head in dismay.

After offering him anything, what else is there? Asked her libido, filtering through various scenarios that might work. You could offer to be his slave for a weekend. After all, he did offer to be your slave once upon a time.

Sarah considered this …. It is worth a chance….. It just might work.

"Um. In exchange for the hint I'll stay the weekend with you and do whatever you want – but – um…. Only for the weekend. No long-term tasks or anything like that," she offered, pleased that her clarification would hopefully circumvent any loopholes Jareth might seek to use.

The room was engulfed in silence, which pleased Sarah immensely– she hoped that the fact that he had to consider the offer meant that she had finally crafted an offer that did not have any wiggle room for him to manipulate the terms of the agreement.

"That is….acceptable," Jareth replied in a syrupy drawl that made Sarah's skin tingle as a slow flush of heat rolled toward her belly.

….Oh fuck…. I can't believe I just made that deal with Jareth. What was I thinking? ….

You weren't, quipped her inner-voice as it considered quitting its job since Sarah never listened anyway.

Easy… giggled her libido, flashing up pictures of various things Jareth might ask of her during her weekend with him…. You gave the Goblin King the opportunity to grant more of your fantasies and his.

Her inner dialogue was interrupted by the smooth tenor of the Goblin King as he gave her the hint, "What is the difference between a dream and a wish?"

Sarah's eyes narrowed in confusion as she wrestled with this clue. Slowly she moved around the room once more, carefully examining the scenes shown in each mirror, looking for anything that might indicate which scenario was the wish she must fulfill.

"A dream is a figment of your subconscious, while a wish is something you consciously desire or want. Right?"

No reply.

Considering Jareth's advice again, she decided that the wish had to be non-sexual. So, squaring her shoulders, Sarah took a deep breath and pressed her hand to the mirror that showed the two of them sitting on the great stone windowsill, engrossed in the purple crystal that rolled across their entwined hands. With a 'pop' Sarah found herself once more being sucked through the glass only to drop straight back into the shaft of helping hands, hands which immediately went back to work on her body, rocking her to her very core.

Sarah moaned, struggling once more against the insistent hands that held her fast.

Jareth said to relax…. Cautioned her inner-voice, trying once more to do its job in the face of Sarah's persistent stubbornness, as her libido quivered happily and melted into a pile of hormone-riddled goo at the seductive caresses that were rapidly encouraging all of the nerves in Sarah's body to self-combust. You have to figure out the lesson here. Maybe it will help you figure out what his wish is!

….Must relax…. Not fight them….How is that a lesson….. Sarah fought to think. The more she tried to think, the more insistent the hands became. ….Relaxing means accepting what is happening…..Accepting what is happening means accepting that I am not in control of it….If I'm not in control….

You have no choice but to sit back and enjoy it! Crowed her libido, coming out of its lust-drunk haze in a sudden burst of clarity – a first.

With a smile, Sarah surrendered herself fully to the ministrations of the helping hands for the first time. Stretched out in their careful grip, she let her mind and body go, no longer thinking about what was happening, but merely feeling. With moans and gasps of pleasure, Sarah finally felt free – a freedom that rang out over the Labyrinth as her cries echoed upward out of the shaft.

And unbeknownst to Sarah, lounging upon his throne watching her surrender in the shimmering skin of a crystal, Jareth smiled with wicked delight.

Having surrendered herself to the caresses of the helping hands and the sensual seduction of the phantom lover once more, Sarah was once more standing in the chamber of mirrors, contemplating which mirror held Jareth's dream. Covered in a fine layer of sweat, her thighs slick with her own pleasure, Sarah's mind ticked over as she worked to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

"The lesson was to surrender and feel pleasure. Add to that the fact that wishes are conscious…kinda like fantasies….and what do you get?" She muttered as she once more walked from mirror to mirror. With a shout of triumph, Sarah rushed to the center of the room, looking at two adjacent mirrors that held scenes that could be construed as requiring a surrender to pleasure. In the first mirror, Sarah saw herself blindfolded upon Jareth's bed, as one of his gloved hands ran a sliced peach over her body, while the other lazily flicked over her nipples, teasing them until they puckered into taut buds. The other mirror showed mirror Sarah kneeling before Jareth in the tunnels, her hands bound before her as he teased along her neck with the tip of one hand, the other caressing the side of her thigh with the flat of his crop.

Surveying the two scenes, Sarah felt her blood rush heatedly through her veins, a sudden burst of want tickling deep in her belly.

….I can't possibly be wanting these things….

Of course you do…. Purred her libido ….Why do you think your body reacted so strongly. You want them and the knowledge that Jareth does to…well….what's not to like?

The question now is, which one is Jareth's wish? And which is merely a dream? Interjected her inner-voice, becoming more and more embarrassed by the contents of the mirrors as the scenes continued to play out.

Out of the corner of her eye Sarah saw a flash of purple. Turning to the mirror that showed she and Jareth in the tunnels, Sarah saw that mirror Jareth's pendant was flashing purple. And Sarah smiled. Fantasies and wishes were both conscious desires.

….This is it!...

Without thinking, Sarah touched the mirror, gasping as she was sucked through it.

Blinking, Sarah slowly cracked her eyes, not surprised when she found herself standing in the torch-lit tunnel where she encountered Jareth dressed as a beggar on her first run through the Labyrinth. With a quiet smile, she stretched fully, her eyes falling upon Jareth as he leaned casually against the wall of the tunnel, the leather of his jacket creaking quietly as he surveyed her, mismatched eyes devouring her with a predatory smirk.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out, Pet," he drawled, slowly moving toward her, the heels of his boots clicking sharply on the cobbled floor.

"Well, you didn't make it very easy," she replied, laughing softly to cover the sudden attack of nervous vultures that seemed to have taken residence in her belly.

"Nothing of value is easy to obtain, Precious," he chuckled, moving to stand before her.

Sarah trembled as he looked at her, his eyes piercing through her as if seeing her deepest, darkest, desires – and in a way, he was. Without a word, gloved fingertips danced lightly over her jaw, gliding along her skin with a touch so light it was almost imperceptible. Removing his hand, Jareth began to walk around her, his movements deliberate and calculated.

"So tell me, Sarah Love…. What was the lesson of the dare?"

Slowly, she turned trying to keep Jareth in sight, only to have his hand still her, gently caressing her arm as he whispered, "Don't move." Tenderly his fingertips slid along her arm, teasing the sensitive skin of her inner arm, watching her tremble at his touch. "What was the lesson you learned, Pet?"

The intensity of his voice, combined with the quiet command made Sarah shiver in spite of herself, goose-bumps dancing over her skin. This was not fear. No, it was desire. A desire she didn't realize she harbored. Until now.

"To give in and receive pleasure and enjoy it," she whispered, feeling her face heat as she wondered why she was unabashed by her nudity in front of him, but admitting the lesson made her squirm.

Without warning, his gloved hand twined through her thick tresses, pulling her toward him in a crushing kiss that weakened her knees and sent her eyes fluttering shut. Jareth's tongue surged through her parted lips, drinking deep of the desire that poured from her like warm honey, sweet yet sultry. Releasing her lips, Jareth kissed his way along her jaw, to hover near her ear.

"Good. Now let's see if you can put that into practice further," he purred, his voice silky and dark, a devilish smile sliding over his features at the way Sarah seemed to collapse bonelessly against him.

Stepping back, he smirked as Sarah wobbled on her feet with a slight whimper. Resuming his measured pace as he circled her, Jareth chuckled low, arching an aristocratic eyebrow as he took in the luscious figure before him.

"So, tell me, Sarah….How are you enjoying my Labyrinth?" he asked in velvet tones.

Sarah felt her insides burn hotly at his question, her mind immediately flashing back to her first tunnel encounter with him. Frantically her mind whirred, trying to puzzle out what answer he wanted, unsure if he expected her to answer as she had last time, or differently. Lifting her eyes, she watched him step back, his sharp teeth framed by a wolfish grin that spoke of forbidden desires and untold possibilities for pleasure.

….In for a penny….. she thought.

In for a pound…. Concluded her inner-self, as her libido dissolved into a lust-filled mass of unadulterated want.

"It's….it's a piece of cake," Sarah answered, raising her head and meeting his steely gaze, her green eyes flickering impishly at his unspoken challenge.

"A piece of cake is it?" he drawled, stalking toward her across the tunnel, each step forcing her back until she was pressed against the wall, his leather-clad arms coming to rest on either side of her, imprisoning her between them. "Well then," Jareth said, letting his gloved hands slide down her bare arms, entwining his fingers with hers and slowly raising her arms above her head, his sparkling eyes never leaving hers. "Let's raise the stakes then, shall we?"

Before she could object, Jareth removed his hands from hers, leaving hers affixed to the stone wall of the tunnel. Sarah tugged experimentally on her arms, arching her neck to see that her hands were magically bound to the wall above her. Mind whirling madly, Sarah replayed the scene that had been shown in the mirror … This isn't what the mirror showed!... she thought as Jareth conjured a crystal, her eyes drawn to the glistening shell as it danced over his leather covered fingers. With a nimble twist of his fingers, the crystal transformed into a black scarf, which he deftly tied around her eyes, blocking her sight.

While her mind churned over what was happening, her libido was cheering wildly, thoroughly overjoyed by the current turn of events, as unbeknownst to Sarah, Jareth's wish was already fulfilling some of the deepest, darkest, most hidden fantasies that Sarah harbored about Jareth.

Unable to move or see, Sarah gasped as her body began throb under his touch. Hands. Jareth's real and very warm, ungloved hands, were kneading her flesh, reawakening the need and desire implanted by the helping hands and phantom lover in the oubliette. Gliding his hands over her, Jareth grinned wickedly, having enjoyed every moment of tormenting her in her previous challenges – she may not have seen him, but the touch had been all his, and he knew precisely how to play her body so that it would sing any aria he wished. He had waited a long time to have her submit to his will, and now planned to enjoy the fruits of his labors.

His lips caressed her sensitive ear, tongue flicking out to tease the silken shell as he whispered, "I'll take my last kiss now, Pet," before capturing her lips once more in a deep kiss that made her toes curl, the muscles in her calves tightening almost painfully at the fullness of it.

Stepping back just as suddenly, Jareth flicked his wrist, a satisfied smirk coloring his features as his crop appeared. With a hint of malicious glee, he smacked the flat of the crop against the top of his booted calf, the sharp smacking sound ricocheting off the walls like a gunshot, making Sarah gasp and flinch.

Sucking on her bottom lip, Sarah felt the heat rise in her cheeks once more, recognizing the sound as a crop – his crop. The one he had carried in the tunnels on her first visit. She shivered as a cool, smooth object was laid gently against her lips. Breathing in she smelled leather.

….His crop…..

Before she could react, the flat of the crop was slowly scraped down her chin, slowly caressing down her neck, over her collarbones and down until it rested against one rosy nipple which drew tightly budded in reaction to the cool caress of the leather. The leather tapped lightly against her nipple, sending an electric jolt to her very core with each gentle flick.

Tap…tap….tap…..tap….

"Now, Precious….Do you like my wish so far?" Jareth asked, amusement coloring his words.

Turning her head toward his voice, Sarah groaned softly as the leather rubbed lightly against her other nipple, teasing and taunting her, all the while distracting her from his question.

Tap…tap…TAP….

The crop swatted her lightly, the last tap harder than the others, creating an instant warmth across her chest that flooded her core with lust, making Sarah blush in response.

"I'm still waiting, Precious."

"Um…it is….well….that is…." Sarah stammered, unable to bring herself to tell him that she liked it.

But you want this! Protested her libido, while making suggestive wriggles in Jareth's general direction.

Fumbling over her answer, Sarah moaned as Jareth's fingers slid against her inner thighs, dancing over the swollen flesh before disappearing once more. Just as quickly as his hands were gone, she felt warm breath against her lips, knowing his lips were mere millimeters from hers. "Your body betrays you, Precious. You like my wish. And from where I'm standing, it would seem that you like it very, very, much," he purred knowingly, his body pressing her against the wall as a leather-clad thigh pressed solidly against the apex of her thighs until her body was held aloft upon it.

"Let's just see how well you learned the lesson, Pet," he crooned softly, one hand coming to grip her hip, gently rocking her against his thigh while the other hand resumed the light tapping of the crop against her nipple. Leaning his torso back, Jareth watched the pink flush flow up from Sarah's breasts, suffusing her face. Lips parted, she panted, her head tossed back against the stone wall of the tunnel as he rocked her harder against his thigh. The crop tapped in time to the gentle rocking of her hips, as the soft flesh of her breasts swayed in rhythm. With a satisfied smirk, Jareth slowly withdrew his hand from her hip, pleased when she continued, her body following the rhythm he set.

Tap….tap….tap….tap….tap….tap….

Slowly he ramped up the speed, his tongue curling with pleasure around his sharp canines as she kept pace with his tapping, small whimpers escaping her lips as she rode his thigh, the heat of her burning against him.

Tap….tap….tap….tap….tap….tap…tap….

Pressing his thigh more firmly against her, Jareth relished the needy groan as her body strained toward him, pulling against the bonds that held her to the wall. She was willingly giving herself over to his whim, her feet now flat against the wall as she rode his thigh, arching and bucking in time to the rhythm of the crop. Her breathing hitching with the effort, Sarah began to beg, a string of whimpered pleas falling carelessly from her parted lips, "ohgodplease….please…I…ple….plea….I… ohgod…."

And Jareth grinned, his eyes darkening as he watched his Champion, the woman he would have as his Queen, surrendering to her own passions.

"No," he replied, swiftly moving away from her.

Whimpering at the loss of his body against hers, Sarah's hips wriggled, still seeking the stimulation.

"What do you want, Precious?" Jareth asked softly, his lips burning hot against the shell of her ear.

"You," she whispered, her body arching toward him despite the binding of her hands.

Without warning he crushed her to the wall, and with one thrust claimed her once more. Sarah trembled violently in his embrace, her legs wrapping around his hips as his lips devoured hers in a ravenous kiss. His mouth swallowed her cries of desire as bolts of pleasure shot through her, making her insides quiver and tighten against him. Trapped between Jareth and the wall, Sarah writhed against him. Having found her hands freed, she wrapped her arms around Jareth's neck, pulling him closer as she returned his passionate kiss, deepening it until she felt she might lose herself not just to the sensation, but to him. And at that moment, she would willingly burn within him if he would let her.

The tunnel echoed with the sounds of their embrace, inarticulate moans and groans of desire that seemed to make the very ground beneath them shake. Faster and harder their bodies collided until the walls shuddered with the combined completion, a melded cry and roar of pleasure rippling down the corridor and into the chamber of mirrors – shattering every mirror in the room with their force.

Behind her eyes, Sarah's world lit up in a cascade of scarlet sparks. Then everything went black.

Opening her eyes warily, Sarah found herself nestled against Jareth's chest, the two of them blissfully nude amid a mass of pillows. Peering around them, Sarah was shocked by the sight that met her. They were laying in a pit of pillows that was surrounded by a crystal shell, and outside the shell was the Labyrinth – they were floating in a crystal above the Labyrinth.

"J-Jareth," Sarah gasped, wriggling against him as she sat up to look out over the land as it stretched below them in all directions.

"Lovely view, isn't it?" Jareth asked, his arms wrapping warmly around her and pulling her back into his embrace. "You were so worn out, understandably so after the dare and the wish, I thought you needed someplace quiet to recuperate. Somewhere that we would not be disturbed," he murmured, his lips tenderly caressing her ear as he spoke.

Awestruck, Sarah cast her emerald eyes over the land, drinking in the sight of the sun as it began to peek over the horizon, brilliant shades of pink and orange waking the morning sky with their vibrant hues.

"It's stunning, Jareth. Absolutely breath-taking."

Impulsively she turned, throwing her arms around his neck, her lips meeting his is a rapturous kiss.

"Thank you for this. I won't forget it," she whispered against him, melting into his arms once more.

Releasing him from her kiss, Sarah turned and settled back against him, relishing the warmth of his arms, his legs wrapped and entwined around hers as they floated above the kingdom, watching the world drift beneath them from their nest of pillows. Sarah didn't think she could be any happier than she was at this moment and wished it might never end.

Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed a flash of moment, her eyes drawn downward to a pink crystal that rolled effortlessly over Jareth's hands.

"What's that?" she asked, leaning her head back against his chest, the steady beating of his heart thudding in time with hers.

With a flourish, the crystal rolled up Jareth's hand to perch upon his fingertips. "This? This is a crystal. Nothing more," he murmured, his voice a chocolate caress that whispered to her heart. Her eyes were glued to the crystal as it once more began to dance over his hands, sliding over and around his fingers, the shimmering skin reflecting the sun as it rose higher in the sky. "But….if you turn it this way," he drawled in honeyed tones.

"It will show me my dreams?" she asked, a delicate finger reaching out toward the crystal as it spun on his fingertips, then hesitating.

"No…." Jareth whispered, his voice dropping as his lips pressed against her ear. "Not yours, Precious One. Mine."

Sarah's eyes widened as she gazed at the crystal, the pink skin flashing before revealing a series of images. She and Jareth sitting in his throne as they had the day before. Sarah on Jareth's lap, his hands wrapped around her, the two of them laughing merrily as goblins moved forward bringing gifts. Around their necks hung matching pendants, his golden, hers silver. A matched set. Then the images shifted, showing Sarah and Jareth sitting upon a wide stone window seat, the Labyrinth stretching behind them in the distance. Sarah was sitting between Jareth's thighs, her back against his chest, as she held a book – apparently reading to him. As the image angle shifted, she saw Jareth smile, a look of sublime contentment on his face as he leaned down to kiss the reading Sarah. When the image angle moved again, Sarah felt her heart race as she took in Jareth's hands, resting protectively over her belly – her very, very, swollen belly.

Once more the image shifted, mist swirling inside the crystal before revealing Jareth, standing on the balcony of his chambers, a small wrapped bundle in his arms. Holding up his arms, she saw a small, rosy-cheeked babe, with dark fuzz upon its head. She gasped when the baby opened its eyes – one bright blue, the other brilliant green.

Again the image changed, until Sarah saw herself once more pregnant, sitting on a blanket beneath the sacred tree, her hands under the arms of a small child who was attempting to stand. In the distance she could hear the happy, carefree shouts of children. The view shifted, showing her the rest of the garden, where Jareth was spinning in a circle, a small blonde girl and boy tucked under his arms, while a dark haired girl danced around them, her hair flying in a chestnut veil around her head.

Slowly the pink mist refilled the crystal, hiding the images from view once more. Sarah turned in his arms, her jade eyes shining as she looked at him, meeting his pale eyes as they watched her reaction.

"Do you want it, Sarah?" he asked, offering her the crystal.

Sarah reached for the crystal, entwining her fingers with Jareth's as they held the shimmering orb. Seeking his lips in a tender kiss, their bodies sank once more upon the pillows, lost in a dance as old as time – neither seeing the crystal flash brilliantly then dissolve, leaving a silver horned crescent upon a silver chain in its place, the chain wrapped around their joined fingers.


	15. Epilogue

**Chapter 15: Epilogue: A Dream Come True**

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**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. You know the drill.

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**Epilogue – 6 Weeks Later**

Jareth leaned against the railing of his balcony, the marble-like sheen of his pale chest tempered by the black silk pants that slung low on his hips. The evening breeze danced around his lithe form, dragging and pulling against the wisps of feathery hair. Far below him lay the Goblin City, silent except for odd bits of drunken song that floated through the door of the Black Pullet Tavern. With an amused smirk, Jareth turned from the balcony and sidled across the floor, his bare feet padding quietly over the stones.

The King was happy, not that he would admit it to his subjects. But the people who mattered knew. And they knew why.

Sarah. The Champion of the Labyrinth. The girl who ate the peach and forgot everything except what was most important. The girl who stole his heart then cast him aside without a thought.

Sarah, would be his Queen.

They had decided on a Beltaine wedding, five months away, an auspicious date by the Fae calendar.

Humming to himself, Jareth settled into bed, propping a leather-bound volume on his knee, he began to read. His quiet humming barely audible over the sound of the fire crackling in the great stone hearth, Jareth lost himself in the book until a tinkling chime sounded from the Queen's Chambers. He looked up in surprise as his beloved stepped through the door between their rooms.

The brunette entered his chambers, the silk of her sapphire robe rustling around her legs as she moved. Without a word she approached the bed, her soft lips pressing a gentle kiss upon him before curling up next to him, a contented sigh slipping past her lips at the feeling of his warm arms enfolding her.

"Hello, Love," Jareth murmured, his voice a velvet embrace to her senses. "I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."

Shrugging, Sarah nestled herself closer to him. "My exams finished early, so I told Dad that I was going away for a long weekend with friends before heading home for the holidays. I didn't think you'd mind."

"Mind? Of course not, Precious. If I had my way you would never leave in the first place," he laughed, tracing a path of heated kisses over her cheekbones and jaw.

With another kiss, Sarah entwined her fingers in his, then rose from the bed, "Come for a walk with me, Jareth. I'm craving peaches and want to sit with you in the garden."

"Anything for you, Sarah mine. You have only to ask."

The two lovers strolled hand in hand through the quiet castle, each lost in their own thoughts. Reaching the hidden doorway that led to the King's private gardens, Jareth smiled warmly at his love, watching as the doorway responded to her touch. He had not shown her how to access the garden, yet the door knew she belonged there. Silently he followed her into the garden, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the moonlight that illuminated the lush foliage. Breathing deeply of the crisp night air, Jareth's eyes shut as he drank in the heady scent of night jasmine that hung heavily upon the air.

When his eyes opened, he stopped cold, his gaze drawn to the sacred tree.

As Sarah continued her walk across the garden, the tree began to shimmer and glow, the glow growing until the tree seemed to shiver. Before his eyes a mass of peach blossoms exploded upon the tree, filling the garden with their sweet scent. Then just as suddenly as the blossoms erupted, the tree sprang to life once more as peach after peach burst forth, hanging heavily from the branches, their golden hued flesh fairly dripping nectar.

With a sly smile, Sarah walked to the tree and reached up, a quick twist of her hand pulling a ripe peach into her hand. Before she could turn around, Jareth was there, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her to him. Jareth's fingers tenderly caressed her jaw, lifting her face toward him.

"Sarah? Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

Sarah smiled, her teeth sinking into the luscious fruit with a soft crunch, a pearly drop of nectar sliding down her chin. The nectar still on her lips, Sarah leaned up on tiptoe and tenderly kissed him, her tongue slipping sensually past his lips to tease his. Groaning, Jareth sucked her tongue into his mouth, savoring the sweet taste of peaches and the warmth of her body as it pressed against him.

Breaking the kiss, Sarah looked at him, her green eyes shining happily as she took his hand in hers and placed it over her belly.

"Looks like another of your dreams is coming true," she whispered, watching in awe as a look of utter contentment and joy shone from within him.

"When?"

"Oh…eight months, give or take," she laughed, jade eyes dancing merrily at the look on his face.

Without a word, Jareth picked her up, spinning her through the royal gardens, his joyful shout ringing out over the Goblin City. Losing himself in her kiss once more, neither the King nor the Queen (to be) saw the walls of the Labyrinth come to life in a riot of peach blossoms.

_**~~Fin~~** _


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